Now that Mervyns has closed its doors and Harris Gottschalks filed for bankruptcy, the East Hills Mall has lost a lot of business. The one thing that brings customers to the mall is the United Artists movie theater.

“We have a good load of business it seems. We’re the only thing in this mall that has customers,” said Mark, an employee at the theater.

Some other small business owners have mixed feeling about what has happened to a once very profitable mall. “Business is booming,” said Warren Mayhew, an employee from Hope Christian Stores. “We seem to be doing better when Mervyns closed down.”

However, some business owners are feeling the pinch of the troubling economy. “Business is extremely slow,” said manager of The Country Apple, Robert Young.

The food court also has been hit by the economy. Fewer people are buying food and some are struggling to survive. “We have our clientele, but it’s been a total defeat. The mall is virtually dead,” said Ben and Jerry’s employee Kristy Barrientos. “We get our business mostly from the movie theater.”

Plans to rebuild the mall have stopped.

“As long as the movie theater is here, the mall will somewhat survive,” said mall patron Victor Salas. “Hopefully, the economy will bounce back so we can have a great mall again.”