Should Flint Only Have One Mall and Demolish The Other?

Located in Flint Township, the Genesee Valley Mall is an icon for longtime residents of Flint, Genesee County and Mid-Michigan. Another one of Flint's favorite shopping destinations through the years has been Courtland Center Mall.

In fact, I remember the old Courtland Center commercials that would play in the area. "It's... Your... Part of Town... Courtland Center is... the Center of Town!" Malls across the country have either been thriving or shuttering following the pandemic. So what will become of Flint's iconic shopping spots?

The History of Flint's Iconic Shopping Malls

Courtland Center was originally named Court Mall Center when it opened in Fall of 1965 and was home to 40 retail locations. I used to work at the Radio Shack outlet in that mall in the mid-90s and remember competing with the store at the 'Valley'.

Opening just five years later, Genesee Valley Mall was developed by the popular (at the time) department store Hudson's. Hudson's, along with Sears, were the anchors for the Mall when it was built.

Despite the fact that Courtland Center is technically older than Genesee Valley Mall (GVC), the valley had had several problems over the years that are turning not only customers, but business owners away.

Genesee Valley Mall's Degradation Over The Years

After sustaining multiple water main breaks over the last few years, residents and business owners are, and have been upset that repairs, renovations and upgrades have not happened as soon as they should have and the 1,300,000 square feet should be as functional as their new across-town counterpoint.

A recent social media post shares the thoughts of area residents who have a special place in their heart for the ol' GVC, but they think it's outlived it's time to shine.

Should businesses in GVC move to Courtland Center and bulldoze Genesee Valley Mall? Let us know in the comments.