INDIANAPOLIS ( MIRROR INDY ) — As foot traffic has declined at Circle Centre Mall, it’s become more difficult for Don Tsering to keep his family business alive. In October, he finally gave up and plastered “store closing” and “everything must go!” signs out front.
“We just cannot make money,” Tsering said. “We don’t have business. That’s why there’s no people — no customers.”
The 6-year-old Auspicious Boutique is just one of at least half a dozen businesses inside the downtown mall that have packed up and left in recent months following years of closures of national brands.
In late December, Wisconsin-based Hendricks Commercial Properties announced it would redevelop the mall into a $600-million property containing retail, housing, offices and entertainment over at least 10 years. Hendricks purchased the mall in April , taking over management from Chicago-based JLL.
Hendricks appeared to want to start off on the right foot with the remaining tenants. In a January interview with Mirror Indy , Hendricks President and CEO Rob Gerbitz said the company wanted to communicate openly and work with the existing businesses.