Crossroads Mall at a Crossroads

Bad news for a local mall:

Crossroads Mall is in foreclosure, and could be put up for bid as early as this spring.

The mall at Interstate 240 and Interstate 35, which lost its remaining two anchor stores this month, is being managed by Price Edwards & Co. while the bank forecloses on the property. Foreclosure will be complete in about 60 days and then the property can be put up for sale, said Jim Parrack, senior vice president for Price Edwards.

Silly for a mall to have sentimental value but it does for us, or me, rather. That's where Clara and I were working when we first met and that was the first outing we took Rachel to when she was a baby. It was a warm place to take a baby in winter and, later, when she was older, and when Emily was old enough, we'd spend hours roaming and playing in the center court.

We haven't been to Crossroads in years and it's been on the decline for quite a while. Nothing to do with the economy, just an unexplainable decline or, more likely, poor management. The last time we went was when Macy's was pulling out and selling everything on the shelves. While Clara scoured for bargains, I took a last tour of the place.

Nothing but ghosts.

Better days lie ahead, surely. But we'll remember it how it was.