RockStep Capital President Andy Weiner said plans are in the works to replace tenants – including an anchor store – at Bonita Lakes Mall after the stores finally close their doors for good.

JC Penney announced in late March that it was closing its store in the mall. That was followed three weeks later by Payless ShoeSource saying it was doing the same. Payless announced April 4 it is undergoing reorganization and filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings. Payless will close eight of its stores in Mississippi. No specific date was provided for the closure.

Another Bonita Lakes Mall anchor, Sears, is on shaky financial ground. Sears Holdings Inc. warned investors in March that it can’t promise it will stay in business.

“We plan to retenant the Penney’s store after it closes in late September,” Weiner said. “Payless has been on our watchlist for the last 24 months. We’re disappointed they’re closing, but that’s the nature of the retail business. At this time there are no definite plans for the space, but we do have several tenants who are interested in coming into the property. Sears has not indicated it is closing its store. That store does very well and we’re monitoring the situation.”

New signage for Bonita Lakes Mall and Bonita Lakes Crossing were recently approved. Signage will appear on Interstate 20 frontage road and Bonita Lakes Boulevard as well as along both Highway 19 and I-20. Signage is scheduled to appear this week at Bonita Lakes Boulevard and I-20.

Weiner credited city officials for getting the signage approved.

RockStep, which owns six million feet of shopping space in nine states, announced in May its purchase of the Bonita Lakes Mall, Bonita Lakes Crossing and seven other properties along Bonita Lakes Boulevard. Bonita Lakes Mall and Bonita Lakes Crossing have a combined 779,469 square feet of retail space.

One of Rockstep’s newest acquisitions is Edgewood Mall in McComb. The purchase of the property closed on Feb. 28 and terms of the purchase were not disclosed.

Edgewood Mall has 342,221 square feet. Edgewood Mall, located at the intersection of Interstate 55 and Veterans Boulevard, opened for business in July 1987. Anchor stores include Belk, JC Penney, Ashley Furniture, Goody’s, Hobby Lobby and Marshall’s.

“We think Edgewood Mall in McComb is a great property in a great market,” Weiner said. “We’ve been trying to purchase that property from the Haskins family for the last six years, but the timing wasn’t right. The time became right and we struck a deal. It’s a fantastic property and is well attended. Our goal is not to mess it up.”