Randall Park Mall, touted as the largest mall of its kind when it opened 32 years ago in 1976, will close June 12.

The few remaining smaller tenants inside the mall have until then to shut their doors or move to other vacant stores on Northfield Road.

The larger tenants who have customer access from outside the mall -- Sears, Burlington Coat Factory and the O movie theater -- as well as the Ohio Technical Institute's PowerSport Institute, will remain open.

North Randall Mayor David Smith made the announcement yesterday.

Smith said Wichard Real Estate, the mall's owner, made the decision to shut down the mall. Smith hopes the property will be sold and re-developed.

Smith said he spoke with Haywood Wichard recently. Wichard bought the mall in 2004 and still owes about $200,000 in back property taxes.

Major department stores, like Dillards, Macy's and J.C. Penney, had already fled the mall after years of declining sales and rising crime rates.

The openings of Legacy Village and Crocker Park also began drawing shoppers to non-enclosed malls.

WKYC-TV