New mall tenants

Last week, Macy’s announced it would be closing a third of its locations by the end of the year, including one in La Mesa. The space in Grossmont Center has been a department store since the mall opened in 1961.

The mall will see other changes going forward too.

Long-promised renovations began on Jan. 5 with modern façades, better lighting, pedestrian walkways and outdoor seating on the way from new(ish) owner Federal Realty. That’s far from the transformational changes some malls have undertaken to stay relevant by building housing, hotels or offices on site.

Based on new tenants, Grossmont Center is taking a different tack to entice visitors back in an era of online shopping. They’ve returned to the original vision of a mall as a community hub.

Instead of churches of consumerism, there are some actual churches at the mall. Senior centers, a playground, two dance studios, a women’s co-working space with child care, a model train display and youth theater occupy storefronts once relegated to commercial retailers.

Many of the retailers that remain offer unique experiences and activities, like painting pottery at CeramiCafe or a nail salon with a wine bar.

The shopping experience isn’t entirely gone. See’s Candies operates out of the same storefront it has for decades. I still love browsing World Market and Barnes & Noble. But a trip to the mall is more of a nostalgic leisure activity than a task-oriented errand, and hopefully that won’t go by the wayside.