The Eastland Mall in Columbus is closing its doors this week after 54 years of operation.
The Eastland Mall opened along Hamilton Road on the eastside of the city on Valentine's Day back in 1968. The shopping mall was home to more than 50 retailers and businesses that are now packing up their inventory in boxes.
Eastland Mall will permanently close this coming Saturday, December 31st, but the doors have been closed to customers since this past Monday due to a broken water line.
Earlier this year, the City of Columbus obtained a court order declaring the mall a public nuisance following months of neglect by owners to fix several health and safety code violations. The Columbus Dispatch reports that Eastland Mall's owners are planning to demolish the building and are talking with city leaders about how the site can be redeveloped.