Portage la Prairie Mall closing after 45 years

The entrance to Portage la Prairie mall on Nov. 25, 2024. (Jon Hendricks/CTV News Winnipeg)

A beloved retail staple in Portage la Prairie, Man., is shutting its doors at the end of the year.

Portage la Prairie Interior Mall, better known as Portage Mall, first set up shop on Saskatchewan Avenue West in 1979.

After 45 years, the shopping centre will be closing on Dec. 31.

Sherri Griffiths, a senior property manager with Colliers Canada – which manages the mall, confirmed the mall is up for sale, though it’s not clear what will become of the 187,000-square-foot space.

“As the property prepares for redevelopment, we look forward to continuing to serve the community,” Griffiths said in a statement to CTV News.

Shuttered storefronts line the halls of the Portage la Prairie mall on Nov. 25, 2024. (Jon Hendricks/CTV News Winnipeg)

While the mall is closing, Tim Hortons and Rona will remain open.

The closure comes as a disappointment to Samantha Hofer, who has worked as a hairdresser in the mall for 25 years.

“I was here when it was completely full and thriving,” Hofer recalled. “It is sad.”

Hairdresser Samantha Hofer stands at her station in the Portage la Prairie mall on Nov. 25, 2024. (Jon Hendricks/CTV News Winnipeg)

Hofer said foot traffic started declining 10 years earlier, when two big box stores – Walmart and Safeway – both left around the same time.

“The stores went down from there pretty fast,” she said.

As the end of the year approaches, Hofer said she’ll be moving to another salon just down the road in mid-December. However, she said she’s sad to see the mall go.

“It’s been a great 25 years,” she said. “I’m very grateful.”