Michigan Mall Closed For Six Days When Owner Neglected To Pay Power Bill

A Michigan mall is finally open once again after being forced to close for nearly six days, after its owner neglected to pay the facility's light bill.

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Businesses inside the Westwood Mall in Marquette Township were able to reopen around 5:00 pm Monday (4/1) after the mall's owner paid the outstanding bill.

Mall Ownership Neglects to Pay Power Bill

Power had been shut off by the Marquette Board of Light and Power, forcing the mall's tenants to close their doors on Wednesday, March 27. TV 6 in Marquette reports that the payment was made just before the power company's office closed for the day on Monday, potentially avoiding another day in the dark.

Westwood Mall is owned by the Kohan Retail Investment Group. The New York based investment group has owned the mall since 2019.

A Long History of Not Paying Power Bills

According to WILX-TV, the Kohan Retail Investment Group owns 52 malls across the United States. Sadly, Westwood Mall is not the first facility to have its power cut due to non-payment.

In November of last year, the Marshalltown Mall in Iowa was temporarily closed after ownership neglected to pay power bills for 10 months.

The Towne West Mall in Wichita, Kansa was also shuttered this week after an electric bill went unpaid.

Local Mall Plagued by Power, Water Problems

As malls across the country struggle to stay afloat, Genesee Valley Center in Flint Township has also been plagued by mechanical issues that forced the mall to close for days on two separate occasions in February.

A water main break on February 17 forced the Flint Township mall to close.

The mall was shuttered once again on February 27, just three days after it had reopened. The mall reported that electric problems had forced the mall to close, although Consumers Energy reported no power outages in the area.

Genesee Valley Center is owned by New York-based Namdar Realty Group.