Once the cornerstone of American shopping culture, malls across Michigan and the country face a steep decline. What were once thriving retail centers, hot spots for social gatherings, and entertainment have largely become ghostly echoes of their former glory.
As online shopping continues to soar and consumer habits shift towards convenience and experience-driven retail, traditional malls struggle to keep up, including those in Genesee County.
When Courtland Center opened in October 1968 it was called Eastland Mall. Back then the mall was anchored by stores such as Woolco, The Fair, and Federal’s. The mall was renamed Courtland Center in the summer of 1986 and welcomed big stores like Mervyn’s, which to the spot of The Fair, and Crowley’s to the mix as well as adding a theater expansion which would ultimately close in 2021…