An Update Regarding the Aroostook Centre Mall

PRESQUE ISLE, Maine (WAGM) -

A glimmer of hope for tenants at the Aroostook Centre Mall Tuesday. There is potentially a local buyer for the mall.

It was announced Sunday afternoon that the Aroostook Centre Mall would be closed until further notice, due to failure on the part of the owners to pay the utilities bill. Monday marked the first day of it’s closure, but optimism lingers in the heart of the Mall’s General Manager.

Tuesday morning, a post was made on the Aroostook Centre Mall Facebook page with an update regarding the situation at the mall.

“Due to Active Talks with a potential buyer, Versant Power has pushed out the disconnection until Thursday Morning. All Star Gymnastics will be open today, as well have chopsticks and Homeless Services of Aroostook. I will continue to keep updating as things change.”

WAGM reached out to General Manager Bruce Brigman, who declined to be interviewed, but agreed to provide what details he could regarding the situation.

Brigman said that while there is still uncertainty, he is very optimistic regarding the Mall’s future, stating that he has spent the past year, contacting local investors, and negotiating a sale between Kohan Retail Investment Group and an undisclosed potential local buyer. This is something Brigman admits is normally outside the duties of a General Manager, however he feels that he has to think outside the box, and he can’t rely on people in New York to take care of the mall. He adds that since the release of the letter regarding the mall’s closure, public outcry has shown stakeholders that Aroostook County residents do not want to see the mall close. Brigman adds that for more than a year, a Large national chain store has been negotiating becoming a mall tenant, an establishment with a large enough presence that it has the potential to bring 2-3 other national chains with it, as the businesses have a symbiotic relationship with one another. Brigman could not go into specifics regarding the identity of the potential buyer, or the national chain, but says talks remain active.