West Park Mall in Cape Girardeau up for auction

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (KFVS) - The West Park Mall in Cape Girardeau is up for grabs, it’s set to be auctioned off in late June to a new owner.

Some shoppers and store managers said they want to see more people and stores come to the mall.

”I really want to see this mall succeed,” Lesley Simmons said.

“The announcement that it is going through a sale is an interesting process and we’re looking forward to whatever comes out of this,” said John Mehner, president of the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce.

He said that depending on how involved the new owner is, their plans for the mall could be a real benefit.

“Malls all across the country are undergoing changes of some kind,” Mehner said. “Some are being completely repurposed, some are being tweaked, some are being multi-use facilities now, that’s where we are.”

LNR Partners, LLC of Miami Beach, Florida took ownership of the mall in 2016.

Senior Vice President John Mitchell said the goal is to create a transparent and competitive field of buyers.

We caught up with some shoppers and a store manager who said they’re curious to see what the new owner will do.

“It’s kind of scary, but also kind of exciting. We’re hoping that whoever you know takes ownership next can bring new people to the mall, more fun, more stuff to do and just make it a better place,” Lesley Simmons said.

Simmons is the store manager at Imagine That Boutique. She said she hopes to see more foot traffic in the mall.

Teenager Stella Wright said she wants it to become a popular gathering spot for her and her friends.

“I think in the recent years it has gone downhill more just because some of the stores have been closing and not just due to COVID,” Wright said.

“We need an ownership group that’s going to sit down and take a look at what we can do. We’d love to sit down with them. I know the city of Cape would love to sit down with them as well and determine what our best outcome is moving forward,” John Mehner said.

The auction will run from June 28 to June 30, and LNR Partners said it’s intended to reach a large audience.

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