GEORGE Stefanidis and Con Alevras have seen the before and after of Langtree Mall.
The mall was officially opened in 1986, when it was closed to traffic.
“I remember coming here many, many years ago when cars were allowed to park in the mall area,” Mr Stefanidis, who lives in Melbourne, said on Monday.
As he enjoyed a coffee with Mr Alevras on the Eighth Street end of the mall, he added: “It certainly wasn’t a ghost town then, like it is now.
“I’ve counted 27 for-lease shops along this strip now and it’s disheartening to see.
“So I’ve seen the before and after – and the current mall concept isn’t working now.”
Mr Alevras agreed, saying that “malls have had their time”.
“Langtree Mall needs to be opened up to traffic again,” he said.
“I grew up in Mildura and live in Melbourne now. But I come up here regularly to see family, and I think fixing up the mall needs to be made a priority.
“They should be looking to attract more foodies here. Look at either end of the mall, where there are coffee shops and a (bakery) cafe. There are plenty of people around both ends.
“There will be short-term pain when you open back up to traffic, as the construction period will hurt shops.
“But it’d be worth it in the long run.”
“It is terrible when you see all the vacant shops in the mall,” said Dee Taggert as she enjoyed a coffee and bite to eat at Banjo’s Bakery Cafe on Monday.
“This used to be a place a lot of people would come to when I grew up here.
“It’s been 12 months since I was last in Mildura – and I see even the Commonwealth Bank has moved out of the mall (in June).
“I was born and bred in Mildura and I’ve lived in Adelaide for seven years now.
“It is heartbreaking to come back to see how it looks here. It’s desert-like when you drive into Mildura.
“It’s not the same pretty little oasis that it used to be.”
Dining companion Karen Bennett, of Mildura, shook her head as she pointed to several empty shopfronts near the Ninth Street end of the mall.
“I came into the mall to buy a couple of books (at Collins Booksellers) the other day and it was first time I’d been in here in a long time,” she said.
“It’s sad to think Mildura Council has spent a lot of money over all the years and it hasn’t done anything at all to help businesses and the town.
“The council definitely need to do something different, because what they are doing now isn’t working.”
