“Brick and Mortar Revival”

  

            Rolling Oaks Mall opened in 1988 and became a go to place for our family with anchor stores of Penney’s, Dillard’s and Sears. When temperatures topped 100° day after day, we’d cool off by strolling through stores and grabbing lunch in the food court. My son’s passion for playing Pokémon cards found us sitting in competitions at the mall. Our annual Halloween parties ended with a round of parading for the various store’s treats. We took Santa pictures there. We practiced driving in the parking lots.

            Like so many malls throughout the country, this small mall struggles. The pandemic hit hard with places like Sears finally closing doors. To be honest, we neglected swinging by the mall in favor of places now much closer to home. Occasionally, we found ourselves dropping into Penney’s and swinging around to one of my favorite shops, Earthbound. Sometimes many months go between visits, and with malls trying to stay open and relevant, changes happen quickly.

            One Saturday, noticing an abnormally large number of cars in the mall’s lots, we let curiosity drop us into a slot and ventured inside. People flowed around the usually empty center with individual stalls set up selling almost anything imaginable. A quick conversation with one of the vendors revealed that the mall now holds weekend for specialized sellers. The calendar for 2024 promises “Cartoonapalooza” in a few weeks followed by “The Bad Decisions Sports Cards, Toys, Comics and Collectibles” event. Every month, different merchants will fill the malls interior spaces.   

            In addition to this weekend draw, the stores within the mall have changed, too, to provide unique shops that compliment Bath and Body Works, Zumiez, and Hot Topic. Our new favorite shop, Perfect Love and Perfect Trust, contains art and items that tap into whimsy. The new Radio Control Headquarters provides a place for enthusiasts to purchase and play with radio control toys. At the opposite end of the complex, a huge Battle Pub Games spreads out and draws in game players, too. Wrestling Shop Trademark and Collectables provides a wrestling ring on site!

            I can’t help but feel optimistic that the unusual and unique collection of shops and events will save Rolling Oaks Mall. The mixture of holiday traditions with a twist may prove enough to draw in customers for special events and draw them back again to participate in new hobbies and interests.

Copyright 2024 Elizabeth Abrams Chpaman