By Steven Baublitz, WV News
BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. — COVID-19 brought new challenges to the state’s shopping malls, which have already seen their fair share of problems in recent years. But according to experts, malls are successfully evolving to meet the needs of today’s consumers.
Joe Bell, spokesman for Meadowbrook Mall in Bridgeport and Huntington Mall, said malls are in about the same financial shape as the rest of the U.S. economy, with retailers regaining their footing after the “artificial recession” created by government restrictions and lockdowns amid the pandemic.
“It just played havoc with the entire retail industry. Now we are slowly but surely regaining our footing. And I have to tell you, West Virginia is doing better than some because the opening of the state was a little better than some states, so people are gaining their footing in terms of where they want to be. … Our shopping malls are doing reasonably well now,” he said.
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