MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Soon after the announcement that the Macy’s at Oak Court Mall was listed for sale, an anchor restaurant in the Wolfchase Galleria is now closing its doors.

So what does the future of major malls look like as so many people now turn to online options?

Once a major restaurant staple in malls, The Cheesecake Factory says after nine years of business, it will serve its final meal in less than a month.

Mercy Hill, a shopper at Wolfcase, heard the news.

“I’m like hmmm, where are we gonna eat at now? My sister is going to be really mad because she comes way over from Marion, Arkansas, and she loves the Cheesecake Factory,” said Hill.

The closure comes as historic retailer Macy’s, an anchor store at malls across the country, announced it is closing 150 stores nationwide. In Memphis, there are two locations.

Just last week it was announced that the Macy’s at the Oak Court Mall has been listed for sale. 

On Monday, a spokesperson with Macy’s told us that the specific locations that are closing have not been decided, but they did say that “there is a current evaluation underway comparing the potential real estate value and the future sales growth profitability potential.”

If a closure were to come, it would not be until 2025. 

Hill says she has seen the shopping scene change over the years, as so many more turn to the convenience of online shopping. 

“I came out here last month and you wouldn’t believe how many stores are gone,” she said. “I guess the world we live in the mortar and brick buildings, they’re gone, and I do a lot of shopping online so it’s very seldom that I come.”

Hill says she does appreciate other smaller, locally owned businesses still open in Wolfchase.

While she says she’s seen changes too, Hill believes it is important malls still get plenty of business, as she uses the space to get in her daily walk. 

“There’s nowhere safe in Memphis to really walk and I come here early in the morning to do my daily walk,” said Hill.

A spokesperson with The Cheesecake Factory says the company is “working with staff to help transition them to other opportunities, including transfers to restaurants in other areas.”

We also reached out to the property management companies for both the Wolfchase Galleria and Oak Court about what’s next for the malls. So far, a Wolfchase representative has responded, sending this statement:

Wolfchase Galleria is proud to be a longtime anchor of the Memphis community and plans to be so for the long term. We offer a number of exciting retail and entertainment options that appeal to everyone in our community.

We’re excited about several new offerings at Wolfchase Galleria that are either currently underway or will become available in the near future. 

While our offerings are constantly evolving, any questions about individual retailers should be directed to that retailer.