- Mall Abruptly Closes Over Safety Issues: Boardman’s Southern Park Mall unexpectedly closed its interior to the public on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025, citing unspecified “operational safety concerns.” Employees of stores like Bath & Body Works and Hollister were told not to come in as the mall went into an indefinite shutdown [1] [2]. Anchor stores with exterior entrances (e.g. JCPenney, Macy’s) and some restaurants remain open, but all interior mall access is sealed off [3].
- Code Violations Trigger Indefinite Closure: Local officials report the mall was “closed indefinitely Friday” (Oct. 31) after multiple inspections found unresolved safety code violations, including serious fire-code issues [4]. A recent fire inspection identified several urgent problems (reportedly a deteriorating fire-safety system) that were not fixed, prompting authorities to deem the building unsafe [5]. Signs were posted at entrances warning of the closure [6].
- Owner’s Troubled Track Record: The mall’s owner, Kohan Retail Investment Group, has a history of financial and maintenance woes at properties nationwide. Kohan was months behind on Southern Park Mall’s property taxes – owing over $519,000 plus nearly $50,000 in penalties by mid-2025 [7] [8] – and only paid the first half 2025 taxes three months late. The group has also repeatedly missed tax deadlines on over half its malls across the U.S., racking up a total $8.78 million+ in back taxes [9] [10]. Local officials describe Kohan’s non-payment and bounced checks as “a mess” [11] [12].
- Utilities & Safety Neglected:Kohan’s pattern of cost-cutting has raised red flags. The company often delays or avoids paying utility bills and upkeep while still collecting rent [13] [14]. Notably, earlier this year a Kohan-owned mall in Georgia lost power and was forced to close after the electric bill went unpaid [15]. Tenants there are suing, alleging Kohan took their utility fees without paying the power company, an act one attorney calls “a crime” [16]. In Iowa, another Kohan mall faced litigation over fire code violations tied to an electricity shutoff [17]. Insiders say many Kohan properties suffer from deferred maintenance and code infractions as basic as failing fire equipment and unrepaired damage [18] [19] – issues now seemingly plaguing Southern Park Mall.
- Local Leaders Sound Alarm: Boardman Township and Mahoning County officials have grown increasingly alarmed. They’ve struggled to reach Kohan’s management for months with no response [20] [21]. “This company would not even give us the courtesy of a meeting… That’s wrong,” County Commissioner Carol Rimedio-Righetti said [22]. Township Administrator Jason Loree warns the mall’s tax delinquency could cost Boardman $250–300K per year in lost revenue for roads, schools, police and fire services [23] [24]. “It really hurts next year’s operation if that money is not collected… those are all things that…tax collection…goes” to fund, Loree noted [25]. Mahoning County’s treasurer Dan Yemma expressed frustration at Kohan’s approach, saying “it doesn’t bode well…[it] doesn’t give you a good feeling” when an owner avoids communication and chronically fails to pay bills [26] [27]. Officials are essentially powerless to act quickly: Ohio law prevents tax foreclosure until taxes are two years delinquent [28] [29], so in the meantime local governments brace for budget shortfalls.
- Employees and Tenants in Limbo: The sudden closure has left mall employees and remaining tenants anxious. Mall manager Vince Tyler informed workers via text that the shutdown was “to keep employees and customers safe” amid the safety concerns [30]. Unionized mall workers (Teamsters Local 377) already had a pending labor complaint against Kohan for alleged bad-faith bargaining [31], reflecting broader tension. Several small stores had previously closed or relocated as foot traffic dwindled – e.g. Touchdown Gifts, a 25-year tenant, moved out earlier this year, and the food court’s Sarku Japan abruptly shut its doors [32] [33]. Those trends, coupled with the new indefinite closure, are stoking “growing concerns” in the community [34]. “We don’t want a building that’s vacant with no sales tax coming in… It’s not fair,” Rimedio-Righetti lamented, emphasizing the economic ripple effect if the mall sits idle [35]. Anchor department stores like Macy’s and JCPenney remain open for now, operating independently. (Macy’s, Inc. stock has been trading around $19–20/share lately [36], and while the company has not commented on the Boardman situation, a prolonged mall shutdown could factor into its local strategy). Cinema and dining venues on the periphery, such as the mall’s Cinemark theater and Buffalo Wild Wings, also continue business via their exterior entrances [37]. Still, if the main mall interior stays closed and customer traffic declines, more tenants may reconsider their future at the location.
- “Cut Costs and Collect Rent” – A Strategy: Retail analysts say Kohan’s business model may explain these patterns. “They have a very standard playbook: Cut the taxes, cut the operating expenses, don’t invest in it, simply harvest the remaining yield…,” observes Nick Egelanian, president of retail consulting firm SiteWorks [38]. By slashing expenditures like maintenance, utilities and taxes (even if it means violating codes or incurring penalties), an owner can still profit 15–30% returns on a dying mall from the rent that a handful of tenants continue to pay [39]. It’s a “distress capitalism” strategy – “In a capitalist society, people find ways to make money even when there’s distress, and that’s essentially what they’ve done,” Egelanian explains [40]. The downside is borne by the community and tenants: the property deteriorates, shoppers stay away, and local governments lose revenue. “Not only are they not paying their bills, it’s becoming so run down,” said one New Jersey township manager about a Kohan-owned mall in his town [41], an experience now echoing in Boardman. Egelanian cautions cities “they’re not going to invest in it ever. That’s not what they’re doing”, urging officials to plan for the next use of these properties rather than pour public money into futile rescue attempts [42].
- What’s Next? Uncertain Future and Calls for Redevelopment: The immediate question is how long Southern Park Mall will remain closed and what it would take to reopen safely. 21 News (WFMJ) reported it is working to learn “how long this closure could last” [43]. If the fire safety violations and other issues are addressed quickly – and if Kohan is willing to spend the money – the mall could potentially reopen after inspections. However, no timeline has been given, and the silence from ownership is fueling pessimism among local leaders. Boardman officials are already contemplating life after the mall. “Should the mall go under… I don’t think it sits vacant for very long,” Administrator Loree suggested, noting the 60-acre site’s prime location with utilities and highway access [44]. Possible reuses he envisions include light industrial or a mixed-use “lifestyle” redevelopment with residential and retail components [45]. Indeed, other communities are taking action: in New Jersey, Livingston Township even declared its Kohan-owned mall an “area in need of redevelopment” and threatened eminent domain to force a sale [46]. Mahoning Valley leaders haven’t gone that far, but their patience is wearing thin. As Trustee Tom Costello admitted, with each passing month of silence from Kohan, optimism for the mall’s revival “is dwindling.” [47]
Forecast: If Kohan Retail remains unwilling to invest in repairs or taxes, Southern Park Mall could face a protracted shutdown and accelerating tenant exodus. The holiday shopping season – normally the busiest period – will be all but lost if the mall stays closed, potentially pushing more retailers to exit. Over the longer term, experts say the best outcome may be for a new owner or new purpose to take over. “It’s best… to embrace what [Kohan is] doing and start to look at what the next generation of that land use could be,” Egelanian advises communities [48]. In other words, rather than pin hopes on a negligent landlord reversing course, Boardman may need to pursue redevelopment opportunities with partners who have the resources to transform the site. The Southern Park Mall was once a bustling retail hub and still hosts popular national brands – but without swift resolution of the safety issues and a change in ownership approach, its days as a traditional mall appear numbered. Local officials and residents are watching closely, hopeful for either a turnaround or a new chapter for this landmark property. For now, the lights in the mall corridors are dark, and an uneasy question hangs in the air: Is this the beginning of the end for Southern Park Mall, or the catalyst for its rebirth?
Sources: Southern Park Mall closure report [49] [50]; WFMJ 21 News Watchdog investigations [51] [52]; Business Journal Daily (Youngstown) coverage [53] [54]; Statements from Boardman and county officials [55] [56]; Retail expert analysis [57] [58]; Local news on Kohan property issues [59] [60]; Mahoning County records and commentary [61] [62].
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