Questions Loom as Another Apache Mall Store Closes
While retailers like The GAP and Herbergers are closing up shop due to the companies' decisions and their overall company performance, does this latest store closure mark a possible trend for our local mall? While I'm not an economist (seriously, I'm a radio DJ), it brings up the question: Are there still more to come?
We've seen the Apache Mall go through a lot of renovation and changes in recent years, but as Minnesota's 3rd largest city and with Mayo Clinic as our bloodline, our mall might soon need to go on life support from all the retailers leaving its confines.
With information from inside the shopping mall, another popular retailer Express will be the next casualty in Apache Mall. A person with knowledge of the situation pointed out that, "The store itself is doing great. It was the mall management jacking up leases...The store is just closing due to [mall management]."
While it's not technically public knowledge until Express receives its signage to put up in their store windows, the store's employees have already been instructed to start informing customers of the news as of Wednesday, May 30.
When asked if there will be any sales, I was told they won't have any because the merchandise will be moving to other store locations.
Sadly Express' last day of business will be June 23rd.
Again, some of the closures are due to other reasons beyond lease prices. But still, this is just another store closure that Apache Mall's shoppers have become accustomed to within the past year, with almost a dozen retailers leaving the property. It really doesn't seem to matter if you've been there for 50 years, 30 years, if you're a local Minnesota company, or stores like Claire's or The Walking Company. The list just keeps on growing and growing. It's scary to imagine what the mall will look like in a couple years if this keeps on happening...
We've reached out to the owners of the Apache Mall of what seems to be a lot of closings inside the mall and their plans for the future, and we will update this story once we hear back.
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