“We don’t have any choice,” Satti said. “If we don’t have a choice, we have to leave. They gave us a notice that we have to go.”
The Discount Mall building is operated by two separate companies: Pilsen Plaza Corporation and PK Mall. “It was very high,” Torres said, “and we knew our vendors were going to have a hard time paying it, especially during this recession.” Juan Zarate, who works with his daughter, is one of the vendors hoping to stay. They’ve been operating their pet store inside the Discount Mall since 1989.
“We discussed that there’s enough room here to accommodate everybody,” Sigcho-Lopez said. “They acknowledged that, but they said, ‘Sorry, we already signed a contract.’ Contracts can change all the time. I wasn’t born yesterday.” A newly released rendering shows what Little Village Plaza is expected to look like after renovations. Novak said it plans on repairing the front of the Discount Mall, which includes the roof, and the plaza parking lot with an underground storm water system.