The city of Selma needs to improve its national retail business base.

I know the perfect location for some of those stores: the Selma Mall.

I recently walked through Selma Mall and it’s virtually empty. I saw a lot of vacant spots where brand name stores used to be.

The only big name store is Belk.

The Shoe Department, Rehab Associates, Boost Mobile, Citi Trends, GNC, Foot Locker, Le Nails, Karate World and Hibbett Sports are the only stores remaining in the mall.

Over the last 25 years, stores have closed in the Selma Mall. Sears closed in 1993. JC Penney closed in 2014, followed by Goody’s a year later.

Selma Mall is the latest in a long line of declining shopping malls across the country. According to a recent article by Time.com, national experts predict one in four shopping malls will be closed by 2022.

National experts attribute shopping malls’ decline to customers preferring online shopping and the creating of strip centers and shopping plazas.

In my opinion, Selma is better suited to have a mall. The strip centers and shopping plazas work best in the bigger cities.

Area residents are often searching for more places to shop. Many often make the hour drive to Montgomery or 40-minute trek to Prattville. Tuscaloosa, only 90 minutes away, is another attractive option.

From where I sit, this trend needs to stop.

Local officials are aware of the situation, but they must bring stores into the mall to boost the local economy.

Bringing Bojangles to the area was a good start. Bojangles opened Nov. 3 and officially shut down on Jan. 24, because the franchise had financial issues. The restaurant probably would’ve been successful in Selma if given a chance.

Selma needs a full mall to succeed and become a strong shopping center with options for shoppers of all ages, but it’s going to take work and time.

The mall needs the investment of the community to succeed in the present and the future.

James Jones is the news editor for the Selma Times-Journal. He can be reached at james.jones@selmatimesjournal.com.