From left, Scott Martin from Martin Sports and Avery Smith of Timber Yeti Axe Range discuss the power shutoff at the Westwood Mall in Marquette Township and how it impacted their businesses. (Journal photo by Anthonio Anderson)

MARQUETTE — After six days of being closed down because of an unpaid electric bill, power was turned back on Monday afternoon around 4:46 p.m. at the Westwood Mall in Marquette Township.

“If we are being realistic, I expect to see that letter (from the Marquette Board of Light and Power) in another three weeks,” said Scott Martin, owner of Martin Sports located in the Westwood Mall. “It comes out the third week of the month and almost every single month we get one from the BLP. We have been shutoff four times now. This was the first multi-day shutdown we have had.”

Martin said that the BLP stepped up to help and that the shutoff would have been even more devastating since this time of year is hard on businesses under any circumstance.

“The first quarter in any retail is terrible. Christmas wipes everybody out, you don’t see anything again until Easter and then income (tax) checks start going,” he said. “So Easter weekend is big for us and many families buy gifts for Easter.”

Martin praised mall manager Joe Ellis who has, “worked tirelessly to put people in here. Whatever you needed in your lease to get here, he would make that happen. He would bend over backwards to put people in here, he is not the problem. “

Even with the issues the mall has been having, it is a much better location than most places in the county said Martin. He further explained that he gets more foot traffic in the mall in a day compared to a weekend in past locations in the county, but with this shutoff he is worried about its future and the opinions of the shopping public.

“We need people back in now, more than anything. It doesn’t matter if it is independently owned or corporate, we all benefit from each others traffic and all anybody is saying now is that the mall is dead,” said Martin “There are a hundred employees in this mall that will tell you it is not dead.”

Martin said that what really needs to happen is for the ownership to change, but he’s skeptical when or if it could happen with the mountain of debt the mall has accrued.

“If you got this mall for a dollar today, you would be a half million in debt,” said Martin. A spokesperson from the Marquette County Treasurer explained that the mall currently owes $296,779.65 in property taxes. They explained that the last payment was in 2021, and next year the business is in jeprody of being shutdown.

Martin also explained that with the electrical service being shut down, that there could be grounds to legally prosecute the owner of the mall.

Overall Martin explained that everyone in the mall works very hard to keep it going and for it to do that, it needs support from the public.

“We need the public to support the mall, we need them to come in and walk around maybe buy a gift for someone, but we need them in the mall. Joe (Ellis) has got a flea market this weekend, the biggest flea market in Marquette County.We have a craft show here every month. This mall is largely forgotten about,” he said. “I just really want to breathe some life back into this place. A good chunk of my life was spent here.”

Antonio Anderson can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 550. His email address is aanderson@miningjournal.net.