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To the Editor:
I miss Springhill and Stratford Square malls, especially during the holiday season! I miss spending the day with my family, shopping, eating, enjoying the lights, decorations, music, and seeing Santa. These malls were not only part of my family’s holiday tradition, but Springhill was our place to go year-round to shop and spend time with family and friends. A lot of memories were made at these malls, not just for my family, but for countless others as well.
Sure, there’s Woodfield, but it’s too big, farther away and overly crowded for me, especially now that malls are more popular again. After the pandemic and the ability to go online for almost everything, people are realizing the toll all of it is taking on their mental health and social lives. There’s a need for places we can go to socialize with other people again, especially for younger generations. Malls are perfect places for that.
Both malls will be demolished for apartments and strip malls. Do we really need more strip malls? Illinois can have pretty nasty weather, we need indoor malls! Space for popular retail stores, mom and pop shops, cafes, coffee shops, and an open inviting space to gather or walk with friends. Indoor and outdoor entertainment space would also be beneficial. I hope the town officials and developers for Stratford Square and Springhill malls rethink their plans. We need our indoor malls to evolve not be destroyed!
Sheri Andersen