Jennifer Garrison, owner of Passageways LTD at Towne West Mall in west Wichita, is expressing her frustration with the ongoing power outages that have affected the mall since September. The latest outage was caused by Kohan Retail Investment’s failure to pay the electricity bill on time, leaving vendors once again in the dark.
Ken Smith of Steve’s Jams and Jellies reported significant losses due to the outages and challenges in storing inventory safely without power. Despite these setbacks, both vendors are exploring alternative locations to continue their businesses amidst the uncertainty at Towne West Mall.
Some vendors are considering moving out of the mall due to its inconvenience and lack of reliability, while others like Smith are hesitant to leave their current spaces due to their affordability. The management has not provided a timeline for when the power will be restored, leaving vendors in limbo and causing concern for customers.
Anchor stores such as JCP, Dick’s, and Dillard’s Clearance Center have maintained power through separate accounts with Evergy, while Towne West Mall continues to face issues with power outages. This has resulted in confusion among customers and disrupted production for vendors like Smith.