Those days ended a few years ago, and nowadays the mall is mostly a 357,000 square foot place where people can walk to exercise indoors.

There are only ten stores left.

But workers hope Ellis Entertainment, the company that owns Ellis Park in Henderson, will continue with plans to build a 60,000 square foot entertainment venue in the Towne Square Mall area that will include historic racing machines , simulcast betting and a sports-themed restaurant.

Jeff Inman, general manager of Ellis Park, said last month: “We are close to closing a deal.

He said earlier that the entertainment venue would open in early 2023.

Hugh Frank Talbott III has worked in the mall for 22 years.

He remembers when all the stores were busy and there were crowds every day.

Today, he works at Hi Tech Cell Phone on the center court of the mall.

“Things are a bit slow,” he said this week. “It’s slowed down. But there are still a lot of people coming to this store. Hopefully things will start to look up if Ellis Entertainment comes along.

Lily Reyes has worked at Claire’s near the main entrance for three years.

“I started right before things started to shut down,” she said. “We are the busiest on the weekends. During the week it is mostly walkers from the mall.

But she said, “Our clients come with a purpose. They know what they are looking for. »

Maddie Stowe has worked at Bath & Body Works since August.

“It’s very lonely,” she said, “but we probably have more business than any other store here. We’re a destination for a lot of people. They say, ‘You’re the only reason why I come here.’ ”

The store’s annual candle day, the first Saturday in December, the day three-wick candles go on sale, always draws a long line of customers, Stowe said.

Tabby Julian has worked at Journeys, on what was once Macy’s wing, since October.

“It’s slow,” she said. “But we still get really good deals. There’s not much competition here. People know what they are looking for when they walk in.

James Gillaspie, who owns two stores – Sports Country and Sports Country T-shirt Factory – in the mall, is another person hoping Ellis Entertainment will transform the mall.

“It’s great not having to worry about the future,” he said recently. “It looks like things are moving right now. We hope this will attract a lot of people to the mall and encourage more people to move their business to the mall.”

Gillaspie said he hoped for more restaurants and entertainment venues.