Shoppers prepare—a mall may be heading our way.

No it won’t be in time for Christmas, but hopefully in the near future.

You all have heard it from one person or another since you’ve come to school here. “There’s nowhere around here to shop.” Most complaints come from those who either live close to a city or in the suburbs, where there is a strip mall every other mile.

Well, for those who whine and complain that there is nowhere to shop without having to travel more than 30 minutes on the highway, and you know who you are, your complaining days may soon end.

A representative for Keystone Resources, Inc., announced that about 600,000 square-feet of property has been set aside for retail space in DeKalb.

Just think of it folks—close shopping. Ladies when you have those spur-of-the-moment dates and you need a dress, you may have somewhere close to go instead of having to truck out to Oak Brook or borrow one. And men, when it hits you that it’s one of those “special days,” (anniversary, birthday or holiday) instead of running for your life you may be able to just hop over to the local mall.

Mr. Roger Hopkins, director of the DeKalb County Economic Development Corporation, said, “We have seen a favorable impression that there is interest in retail development.” He may have been talking about prospective businesses but we bet the students at NIU could have told him that they have been interested in retail development for quite some time.

So what would a new mall mean to DeKalb besides shopping? It would mean more jobs for one thing. Jobs that could be just the type of thing to keep a poor college student from going under. Or a job that could lead to bigger and better things for those interested in retail. A new mall also would mean that more money would be coming into DeKalb, which would be great for the city itself, and everyone should be in favor of improving our city.

Finally, let us all keep in mind that nothing is set in stone yet but the bids are coming in. So cross your fingers, potiential shoppers, and hope that DeKalb can get that mall here soon.