NORFOLK, Va. — Another local business is preparing to leave MacArthur Center, renewing questions about the future of the once-bustling downtown mall. Brothers Restaurant announced it will close at the end of the year, citing uncertainty about what comes next for the space.
The mall is now about 56% occupied, according to city data, as vacant storefronts continue to multiply. However, inside, several tenants say the narrative surrounding MacArthur doesn’t match what they see day-to-day, and they want the City of Norfolk to be transparent about its plans.
13News Now spoke with two businesses still operating in the mall: 757 Creative Reuse Center and FreshTopia, a record store run by local DJ and radio host DJ Bee.
A creative nonprofit finding room to grow
For the 757 Creative Reuse Center, MacArthur Center has been transformational…