NORWEGIAN TOWNSHIP, Pa. -- Demolition is underway at the Schuylkill Mall but while some malls in Schuylkill County are calling it quits, the Fairlane Village Mall just down the road is making a come back.
On Wednesday, Levin Management Corporation, the managers of the mall, announced that Dunham's Sporting Goods would be filling 43,000 square feet of vacant space inside.
"Better opening than closing cause they're ripping that one down up there," said Ray Burke from Frackville.
Burke is referring to the Schuylkill Mall near Frackville which used to have a Dunham's but is now being demolished.
"I used to love when Dunham's was up there in Frackville, now I guess good they're moving here because we need somebody here," says Tom McCabe of Cumbola.
McCabe used to go to Dunham's to buy a variety of sporting goods.
"I get my sporting stuff at Dunham's. I buy my ammunition, sometimes I buy a bow, I look at the guns," added McCabe.
People who work inside the Fairlane Village Mall tell Newswatch 16, their hope is that by adding Dunham's to this list of retailers, it will draw more shoppers to the mall which will draw additional retailers to fill in other vacant spaces.
"I think by having something like this here it might be a motivation for other stores to come and fill maybe the other end of the mall. Since they're gonna be at the one end, there are vacancies at the other end, which could be filled," says Sheila Koinski, a hair stylist at Regis in the mall.
Construction is currently underway at the Fairlane Village Mall, but a time-frame has not been released as to when the Dunham's Sporting Goods store will be open.
Employees hope it will be open by the December to help draw more holiday shoppers inside.