Local malls face high vacancies — but comeback hints are emerging

(Editor’s note: As part of “Michigan’s Mall Meltdown | WKAR News In-Depth,” the WKAR News team spent one month on the ground visiting malls across Mid-Michigan — from Lansing to Jackson — and making dozens of calls to mall owners, local leaders, tenants and retail experts. Here is a report based on some of what WKAR found.)

In the Lansing area, two major indoor malls offer a snapshot of the broader transformation facing brick-and-mortar retail.

At the Lansing Mall on West Saginaw Highway, roughly 33% of storefronts were vacant during a WKAR News visit July 16. The mall has seen a visible decline in foot traffic, and empty storefronts and faded interiors reflect the challenges of an aging retail model.

“It truly does need some love,” said Delta Township Supervisor Fonda Brewer.

The mall is owned by New York-based Summit Properties, which did not respond to multiple requests for an interview. Brewer said the company has shown some interest in redevelopment, but no formal plans have been shared. Local leaders have floated ideas like adding housing or business space alongside retail.

At Meridian Mall in Okemos, WKAR News found a similar situation, with a 34% vacancy rate during a July 11 visit. But some changes are already underway.

Meridian Township Supervisor Scott Hendrickson said Schuler Books recently relocated to a larger space in the mall, and Ashley Furniture is moving in as a new anchor store. Developers have also expressed interest in reshaping the site into a mixed-use development that could include housing and new retail concepts in the large surrounding parking lots.

CBL Properties, the Chattanooga-based company that manages Meridian Mall, did not respond to repeated requests for comment.

The challenges seen locally reflect national trends. Since the 1980s, the U.S. has lost more than 1,800 malls, according to a 2022 report from consulting firm SiteWorks. A 2024 Globe Street analysis found mall vacancy rates are up 9% nationwide this year alone.

Still, some tenants at Lansing Mall are working to breathe life back into the space.

Shirley Carter-Powell runs two nonprofit storefronts — the Against All Odds Foundation and a free boutique called Lillian’s. She says shopping in person still offers something online retail can’t.

“We’re like their personal shopper,” Carter-Powell said. “We help them find sizes, colors that look good on them — because that’s what it used to be like.”

Lansing Mall is also experimenting with new attractions: MMA fights, trading card shows and arts-and-crafts events aimed at drawing in crowds.

(To explore more, visit wkar.org to read the full story, view photo galleries, and see how other malls across Michigan are trying to bring back business. Dive into Michigan’s Mall Meltdown | WKAR News In-Depth.)