In just one week, COVID-19 forces closure of 48 Station Mall stores

A SooToday count yesterday at Station Mall found that all but 27 stores had been temporarily closed.

That's a loss of 46 retail outlets – 63 per cent of Station Mall's business locations – in less than one accursed week.

And SportChek and Atmosphere announced late last night that they will also temporarly close, effective today. 

Since the loss of Sears and Walmart, the mall has promoted four businesses as anchor tenants: SportChek, Atmosphere, Dollarama and Galaxy Cinemas.

As of today, the only anchor remaining open is Dollarama, which together with Station Mall Drug Mart substantially increased its stock of grocery items recently to address downtown's food-desert problem.

The food court's dining area has been cordoned off-limits and only two outlets are open to sell takeout: McDonald's and Taco Bell.

Security is advising patrons sitting on benches in other parts of the mall to "keep moving." 

The Sault Community Theatre Box Office was still open Wednesday, but no tickets were available for any performances over the next two weeks. 

The April 10 Road Hammers concert at the Machine Shop has so far not been cancelled, customers were told.

Many of the 25 businesses that remain open at Station Mall have reduced their hours.

Scotiabank, for example, started closing its Station Mall branch early at 3 p.m. yesterday.

Even as SooToday walked the 51,600-square-metre shopping centre, some businesses could be seen locking their doors and posting closure notices.

Businesses that temporarily closed starting Wednesday to help prevent spread of the novel coronavirus included Ricki's, Angel Nails, Bootlegger, Cleo and Tip Top Tailors.

Not so long ago, Sault Ste. Marie's Station Mall was the largest shopping centre in northern Ontario, with more than 120 bustling shops and services.

After the loss of its anchor tenants Sears Canada and Walmart in 2017 and 2019 respectively, the once-mighty 'centre of it all' was reduced to a shadow of its former self.

Last week, it was down to just 73 tenants.

Station Mall also advises that all community events planned at the mall have been cancelled until further notice.