Mel-O-Cream is returning to Fairhills Mall as of Thursday, Oct. 26. Mel-O-Cream had operated a retail store at that location since 1975, but closed at the end of May due to a lack of air conditioning.
Owner Amanda Crossland told SBJ at the time, “Over the last year we have been trying to work with the mall property management, located in California, on major HVAC replacement and repairs needed. Hopefully, a resolution can be reached so that the store can be reopened soon.”
Now that cooler temperatures are in the forecast, Crossland said the store will resume operations. “We’re planning on staying open as long as everything works out with the landlord,” she said. “We have a back-up plan for an A/C solution for next summer.”
Crossland acquired the four existing Springfield retail locations in 2019 from Chris Weihmeir and opened a new west-side store in October 2022. Mel-O-Cream has other retail locations at 217 E. Laurel St., 525 North Grand Ave E., 3010 S. Sixth St. and 4411 Yucan Dr.
When the Fairhills Mall location closed in the spring, the employees were transferred to other stores. Crossland said with the reopening, “Customers will see some familiar faces as well as some new ones there.”
The Fairhills shopping center is owned by Fairhills Investors Equity LLC. Sean Namvar of Los Angeles is the manager of the holding company and also heads Equimax Management, which manages more than 5 million square feet of retail space in California and the St. Louis area.
