They have told the mall's owners that they would like to enlarge the store. In January, Napolitano and his partners contracted with a national retail development company to study Pembroke's future. The report will be ready by spring. Concepts include a bigger cinema or other entertainment venue, a parking deck, larger anchor stores and a hotel. One idea is to transform some shopping space into offices, an approach more often reserved for decaying malls.
Shoppers are unsure of the best approach.
Some visit the mall for a particular restaurant, to get their hair done, to catch a movie, or for the Sears. Others enjoy the mall the way it is, with room to walk, short lunch lines and ample parking. Margy Santos of Norfolk has visited a beautician in the mall for years. That project will bring a 20-screen movie house and a new Sears 10 minutes away. The only certainty is that Pembroke's owners plan to nurture their existing customers.