SAULT STE. MARIE — A SooToday count Wednesday 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 Wednesday night that they would also temporarly close, effective Thursday.
Since the loss of Sears and Walmart, the mall has promoted four businesses as anchor tenants: SportChek, Atmosphere, Dollarama and Galaxy Cinemas.
As of Thursday, the only anchor remaining open was 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 11 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.
The following, is the status of Station Malls's 73 remaining businesses, as compiled by SooToday between 1 and 5 p.m. Wednesday:
- Station Mall Clinic - open, but no walk-ins, appointments only
- Tootsie's Shoe Market - closed as of March 17
- Tbooth Wireless - closed
- Ricki's - closed March 18
- Showcase - open, reduced hours
- Angel Nails - closed, March 18
- ZooZoo - closed
- Hilltribe - closed
- Charm Diamond Centres - open, reduced hours
- Body Shop - closed until at least March 27
- Sault Community Theatre Box Office - open
- Lids - open
- Station Mall Drug Mart - open
- Eddie Bauer - closed
- Le Chateau - closed
- Hallmark - open, reduced hours
- Nygard Plus - closed as of March 16
- Ardene - closed
- Bootlegger - closed as of March 18
- Savoy's Jewellers - closed until March 23
- Cleo - closed as of March 18
- The Shoe Fits - open
- Bell - closed
- Spencer's - open
- Alia n TanJay - closed 14 days or until further notice
- Vacation Station - open
- Rogers - closed
- SportChek - open yesterday (but closing today)
- Atmosphere - open yesterday (but closing today)
- Carter's/Oshkosh - closed until early April
- Scotiabank - open, but branch closes at 3 p.m. starting March 18
- Northern Reflections - open
- New York News - closed
- Tim Horton's - closed
- New York Fries - closed
- Freshly Squeezed - closed
- Subway - closed
- Sault Ste. Marie Police Service Satellite office - open
- McDonald's - open for takeout only
- Taco Bell - open for takeout only
- Woking Chopstix - closed
- Ricardo's Big Slice Pizza and Gelato - closed
- Laura Secord - closed
- David's Tea - closed as of March 16
- Safe Communities office - closed
- Peoples Jewellers - closed
- Oscar & Dario Unisex Hairstyling and Barbering - open
- Dollarama - open
- Virgin Mobile - closed
- Cineplex - closed
- CellRox - closed
- Roots - closed
- The Shoe Fits! - open reduced hours
- Think Kitchen - open
- Coles - closed until March 27
- Bath and Body Works - closed
- Telus - closed
- EB Games - open
- Quilts Etc. - closed
- Tip Top Tailors - closed March 18
- HR Block - open
- Eclipse - closed
- GNC - open
- La Senza - closed
- H&M - closed
- Boathouse - closed
- Fairweather - open
- Koodo - closed
- Hollywood - closed as of March 17
- Vivah Jewellry - closed
- The Source - closed
- Sunrise Records - closed
- LCBO - open, reduced hours
Station Mall also advises that all community events planned at the mall have been cancelled until further notice.
