Selma City Councilwoman Angela Benjamin is looking to drive customers to Selma Mall by organizing a “Mall Walk,” which was recently discussed at a meeting of the Selma City Council and gained widespread support, for Tuesday, Nov. 12 at noon.

“The main goal of this walk is to bring foot traffic and attention to the several local businesses that have opened in the building, those that have reopened and to those big box businesses that have remained loyal to our economy and community by choosing to do business in Selma,” Benjamin said.

Along with the primary goal of driving shoppers to the local retail center, Benjamin has a series of “minor goals” she would like to see accomplished, including encouraging mall merchants to “spruce up and decorate for the holidays,” bringing Santa back to town, returning music to the mall’s enormous walkways and encouraging good-spirited decorating contests among merchants throughout the year.

“While the sub goals are being dubbed as ‘minor,’ the actually are pretty major,” Benjamin said. “All of these small, inexpensive ideas help bring in shoppers and surely help keep hope alive.”

On the day of the event, those participating will meet at the front entrance of the mall and begin walking through greeting merchants, speaking to shoppers and, hopefully, spending a few dollars in one of the mall’s stores.

Additionally, Benjamin noted that participants will have the opportunity to purchase a pre-ordered custom t-shirt created by one of the mall’s retailers.

“All citizens are asked to join in on the fun,” Benjamin said. “This is not just for elected officials, this is for all of us, Selma and Dallas County.”

The Selma Mall, which opened in 1971 with Sears, Britt’s and S.H. Kress as its biggest stores, came under new ownership earlier this year after an auction netted an $800,000 winning bid.