Jackson Michigan’s beloved Westwood Mall has been steadily declining for roughly two years. However, just two miles away, the Jackson Crossing is prospering. As more businesses flock towards the Crossing, companies continue to leave Westwood.
Although Westwood has several vacant storefronts, some stores have managed to survive the fallout. Stores such as JCPenny, Hot Topic, Pretzelmaker, and Gamestop continue to attract customers despite losing popularity.
Senior Morgan Good worked at JCPenny for 11 months in 2023. During her time there, she described the environment as slow with small bursts of energy.
“It (JCPenny) was pretty busy, especially during holiday seasons. At other times, there were not a lot of people there. There were some shops that were popular, like the pretzel place, but other than that nobody was there, besides maybe five people walking around,” said Good.
Despite the state of Westwood Mall, the team is trying its hardest to keep the mall running, instead of allowing it to fall into ruin. The General Manager of Westwood Mall, Ehrika Ray, is determined to keep the corporation afloat.
“Our goal is to continuously enhance the mall experience by introducing new stores and creating a variety of activities for all to enjoy,” said Ray. “We’re dedicated to making Westwood Mall a hub for shopping and entertainment within the community.”
Two miles over, the Crossing is the busiest it’s ever been. Consumers frequent the Crossing regularly with many new popular stores opening at the mall.
After viewing the state of both malls, the question of whether or not Jackson is big enough for the two malls arises. At this time, Jackson is 10.99 square mi with a rough population of 31,000; this number has slightly decreased these past few years.
Data from datacommons.org
Along with that, Westwood Mall is one of many businesses struggling in Jackson. Within the past two years, stores like Party City have also closed. Westwood Mall and Jackson Crossing are both cherished in Jackson. Where one is the busiest it has ever been, the other is slowly emptying. Although Westwood is struggling as of now, the mall is striving for success and working its hardest to bring its former popularity back.
