More Stores Closing: What’s Next For University Mall? [PICTURES]

When you walk in the University Mall in Nacogdoches, it's no secret that it's not what it once was. I remember a time when it was pretty full, with all three anchor stores open, jewelry stores, bookstores, etc. I've even done several stories on the mall, about how I remember it, and how it's changing. You can review these by clicking the links below:

And these are just a few of the more recent articles we've had.

Now, there are more vacant stores than there are open ones. Belk is still there, as is Bath and Body Works. T's Sandwich Shop is still there, and so is the HexPit gym and Ollie's Bargain Outlet.

But this weekend as I walked through the mall, I noticed even more changes taking place. As I walked in the main entrance, this was the first big thing that caught my attention:

That entire wing of the mall has been roped off. There are no open stores in that entire half, until you get to Belk. But you can't even access Belk from inside the mall. You have to enter from their outdoor entrance. There's even a sign informing you of that. This was the sign posted at Belk:

And finally, the thing that made me wonder the most about the future of the mall was when I saw this from the window of Belk, looking out into the mall:

What you're looking at right there is what used to be Hibbett Sports. I'm not even sure when exactly the mall location closed officially, but it can't have been too long ago. Yes, I realize that there is still one location in Nacogdoches, but to see this one go away is pretty tough.

So, what's next for the University Mall in Nacogdoches? We've heard some talk about different things going on in planning stages, but we haven't heard anything concrete. What's your take on all of this? Let us know in the comment section below!