CLAY, N.Y. (NCC News) — The Great Northern Mall in the town of Clay will be closing its doors by Nov. 20. The mall’s closure will leave a lot of nostalgia behind. A cleaner-crew worker responsible for clearing out the Old Navy store, Anthony Barnes, has been there from the beginning.
“You know, I watched it when it first opened,” said Barnes.
The shopping mega-plex, Destiny USA, is one of the largest malls in the country. Barnes believes that the complex ended up wiping out Great Northern.
“It’s just not really going to happen, because, you know people coming from the world around just to come to Destiny, and Great Northern is not even on the map anymore,” said Barnes.
Those who frequently patronized Northern until its impending closure truly were seeking out a different experience from Destiny. One resident, Shannon Carpenter, has been going to the mall for over 20 years.
“Since 1996 my, since I was, well I graduated in 99, so all of my high school years,” said Carpenter.
Carpenter believes the closure of the mall is not completely in vain. The memories that she carries from her youth in reference to the mall are all the proof.
“When I was a teenager, the biggest thing that we did was the movies, the food court, the arcade, it’s all in one spot,” said Carpenter.
Although she is disappointed, Carpenter is maintaining an “it is what it is” attitude toward the end of the Great Northern Mall.
At this time, a majority of the stores in the mall have closed and their tenants have vacated. In the future, the plan is to have the space become a lifestyle center. Grocery stores, a movie theater, and other attractions will fill out the space.