CORPUS CHRISTI (Kiii News) — Cinemark's Dollar Cinemas has been in Corpus Christi since the 80s, but there's word that they will be closing their doors by the end of January.
The news came to light via social media and was confirmed by several of the Sunrise Mall tenants. 3News reached out to Cinemark, which is based out of Plano, but have not heard back.
According to longtime tenants, the movie theater has been a vital part of the mall and it brought in good-sized crowds in the evenings and on weekends.
"We're not told everything that's going on, but we have an idea. I think the owner wants to renovate the mall. I heard he's going to do the top floor first," said Noe Bocanegra, owner of War and Peace. "They got a notice that they were supposed to have the last day on the 15th and be out of the mall by the 23rd. Now I think by the 31st for sure, of January."
Tenants have concerns over the future of the mall, but many like Pretzel World owner Dolly Chapa are also optimistic.
"Not worried about it. Something else good will happen. I'm open minded so, you know, I worry about just what's here and not out there," Chapa said.
Tenants have hopes and plans should things get tougher for them.
"We're in limbo right now. I mean if my rent does go up, I'm out of here because I don't need to be here. I don't need to be working," Bocanegra said.
"I was here when this mall was built. When it was just a cotton field," shopper Michelle Moreno said.
For shoppers like Moreno, the Sunrise Mall will always bring back memories of better times.
"I can remember coming here as a kid and every place was filled," Moreno said. "There was kids everywhere. It was flooded. Now it's a ghostown."
What comes next for Sunrise Mall hasn't been formally announced, but 3News was told that changes are coming.
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