Eastland Mall is making changes that administrators hope will usher in a new life within the next year.
The mall on Hamilton Road opened in 1968, and was a main attraction of Columbus' East Side well into the '90s.
Today, though, the mall has no department stores in its largest spaces and over 20 vacancies.
Mall administrator Kejuana Beaver-Williams says bringing in more local businesses will be key.
“People are wanting to give back and look at local sourced businesses more than the bigger names,” Beaver-Williams says.
The mall created a new website and social media accounts to try to attract vendors. It also plans to host free community events monthly to attract customers.
“We have one coming up on the 21st of December,” Beaver-Williams says. “It's Donuts with Santa.”
Beaver-Williams says the vacancies range from 500 square feet to 1,000 square feet of space.
