Westland Mall (Columbus) - Decline

Decline

Although considered a major landmark in the Columbus area, Westland Mall has faced many challenges in more recent years. It was negatively affected by the opening of the nearby Mall at Tuttle Crossing in 1997, which attracted many customers that may have otherwise shopped at Westland. In particular, JCPenney abandoned Westland for Tuttle, giving the latter a perceived edge; the move gave Tuttle four anchor stores while reducing Westland to two. The Woolworth store, which closed with most of the chain in 1997, became a Staples and no longer has mall access. Other major stores, such as Express and The Limited, also left Westland, motivated both by shifting economic fortunes in Columbus as well as an increase in crime around the Westland area.

Kashani, a developer which also owned North Towne Square in Toledo, Ohio at the time, bought the mall in 2003. The Lazarus store was converted to Lazarus-Macy's in 2003, and subsequently to Macy's in 2005; this store was closed in 2007, leaving Sears as the sole remaining anchor.

By 2010, Westland Mall contained fewer than 15 active businesses; at one time it housed approximately 80. The only remaining national retailers were Sears (which was also the last remaining original mall tenant), Finish Line, Champs Sports, GNC, and Staples; the latter, as noted earlier, lacked direct mall access. The remainder of operating storefronts were small, bazaar-style shops, eateries, and a local branch of the Franklin County Sheriff's office. For much of the late 2000s, it was an example of a "dead mall" that remained completely open to the public (aside from the closed storefronts) and still retained one major anchor.