"To see some life, again, at the Southland Mall is really good," says Winkler Mayor

Winkler's Mayor is looking forward to seeing life, once again, breathed into the Southland Mall. In November, The Property Brokers, the leasing agents for the Mall's ownership group, announced Winners is coming to the retail space, kicking off what's hoped to be a complete revitalization of it.

"To see some life, again, at the Southland Mall is really, really good," noted Henry Siemens. "It's a building that was central to the retail space in Winkler for many years. For a variety of reasons, over the last several years, it hasn't been able to maintain it's traction. There have been some businesses that have closed, some businesses that have outgrown it and moved elsewhere, and ultimately ended up with a building that was fairly empty, and not a lot of excitement around it, and a lot of people questioning why can't something be done."

With a local leasing agent now involved, Siemens is looking forward to those spaces filling up.

"To now have a local property manager looking after it, chasing down some of those leads that are there, when I speak to them I hear there is some excitement around it," he said. "Winners was a great announcement, to see that happen, and they will take up a significant portion of that mall, but there are many local businesses, I believe, who would also like an opportunity to be there."

Numerous changes to Southland Mall will begin early next year as a portion of the exterior and interior of the mall, beside Shopper's Drug Mart, is demolished and reconstructed to include a separate entrance for the coming Winners, which is expected to open some time in 2025.

"I know The Property Brokers are really good at what they do, and they are going to work hard to get additional tenants into it," added Siemens. "They're having conversations today, not imminent lease signings, but really good conversations with businesses that want to be in that mall. There's still a good value to being in that mall."

- With files from Pam Fedack - 

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