Delta Twp.- With the "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies" playing in the background, the $20 million-renovated Lansing Mall is attracting shoppers just in time for the holiday season.
And with the light-hearted holiday music to loosen the purse strings, there's new restaurants, stores and attractions draped in new holiday decor. The construction took a little more than a year to complete at the mall, 5330 W. Saginaw Highway.
The new stores include Younkers - it's first Mid-Michigan store - Trade Home Shoes, Aeropostale and Crazy Horse. American Eagle is in the midst of an expansion, and Weather Vain is expected to open in March.
Since the Chicago-based General Growth Properties Inc. bought the 33-year-old mall in 1996, mall assistant marketing manager Dawn Karon said it's planned to give the mall a facelift. The company owns 168 malls nationwide.
"We knew it needed some updating," Karon said. "We always had a vision, but it just took a while."
Last week the vision was completed with fountains, custom-made light fixtures, several leather-chair sitting areas along each isle, 11 sky lights and light oak wood trimmings pulling the project together. And there's even preserved palm trees from California decorated in white lights gracing a sitting area.
"Everything we did out here is with the family in mind," Karon said.
All coin proceeds thrown into the two fountains by children making wishes will be donated to the Lansing Sparrow Hospital's Children's Miracle Network.
Family bathrooms and miniature-sized tables for children in the food court are also aimed at families, Karon said.
Karon said she expects a profitable holiday season and doesn't anticipate any rebuff from the Eastwood Towne Center, a new outdoor mall on Lake Lansing Road in Lansing Township near Interstate 127.
"It's a whole different shopping experience," Karon said. "When you come to the Lansing mall it's always 72 degrees. Anything that's good for the local economy is good for us."
Lansing resident Amy Anderson said she will shop at the Eastwood Towne Center when more stores are added because it's closer to her home. But she said she plans to shop at the mall more now because it's indoors and there's more stores she shops at.
"It's more open than it used to be," said Anderson, as she sat eating in the expanded food court.
A string of new restaurants including New York Style Steak, Greek Island, Panera Bread and Little Easy Bourbon Grill gives customers more dining choices. The food court now has more than 600 seats, up from 200 before the renovation. Ghengis Grill is expected to open at the mall in March.
Michael Anderson, 8, and Joshua Anderson, 3, sat by their mother, Amy, at a miniature table eating pizza. The boys both agreed they like the addition of the water fountains best.
From his island store post, Timothy Geiger, Dakota Watch Company manager, agreed that the fountains were a classy addition to the mall look.
"Both the mood and the physical building is a lot lighter," said Geiger, who has been working at the mall for about a year.
Geiger said his business is picking up, and Dollar Tree employee Elizabeth Kingsbury agrees.
"Since Younker's opened, it brings a new crowd to Dollar Tree," she said.
