By Denise Massie, Pharos-Tribune staff writer
denise.massie@pharostribune.com
In spite of the announcement that two more stores are closing, owners and managers of remaining stores voiced confidence in the future of the Logansport Mall.
Waldenbooks and The Icing have both announced plans to close their mall stores, but Fast Foto owner Tammy Schoonover said such changes were nothing new.
"I've seen a lot come and go," she said. "I'm sure we will see a lot more come and go. You take it day by day. They will get things turned around and get more stores in. You have to keep up the faith."
She said Fast Foto had been in the same spot for 25 years.
Jerry Arnold, owner of Arnold's Fine Jewelry and Gifts, said people need to look at the larger picture.
"If you look nationwide, there are a lot of large corporations and independent stores closing in malls all over the nation," he said. "Unfortunately, our mall is smaller, so the loss of one is huge and two is even bigger."
J.C. Penney store manager Pat Weber said her store had been at the mall for 40 years. She said her concerns for the future of the mall were no different from anyone else's.
"I'm concerned for my community," she said. "I mean, everything is just frustrating. You don't know day to day what is going on."
In the aftermath of the announced closings, rumors began to circulate that the mall was for sale and that its manager, Lynda Warner, had left.
Neither Warner nor the leasing contact from the mall's owner, Kite Rubloff, could be reached for comment last week, but store owners and managers said they also had heard the rumors.
Schoonover said the speculation concerned her.
"It makes me wonder what will happen with the mall," she said.
Arnold has mixed feelings about what the mall needs to do to make a change. Short of bringing more jobs into Logansport, he said, residents will likely not see any other large chains move into the mall.
In his opinion, the mall simply could not support those larger stores. He does feel the local mall has the opportunity to support smaller businesses.
While Arnold doesn't predict the mall will be filled with stores anytime soon, he said it might be a possibility down the road, and no matter what is happening with other stores in the mall, he said, his business has been doing well, and he plans to stay.
"We're not going anywhere," he said.
Weber keeps her hopes high and says others need to as well. She believes things will get better.
"It's simple economics," she said. "You have your highs and lows. Eventually you hit bottom, but have to go up."
Schoonover is also keeping a positive outlook and hopes local residents will do the same.
"I think more people need to shop locally to keep the mall and Logansport going," she said.