WILKES-BARRE TWP. — The Wyoming Valley Mall will remain shuttered for the third consecutive day as crews struggle to repair a significant power outage that has disrupted the peak holiday shopping week.
The outage, which began Tuesday night, has already kept the doors locked through Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Mall management confirmed Thursday that the facility will not reopen on Friday, December 26, as originally hoped.
Specialist summoned from Philadelphia
In an effort to expedite repairs, mall officials announced via social media that they are bringing in a high-voltage testing specialist from Philadelphia. The expert is expected to arrive Friday morning to collaborate with the local utility company and diagnose the specific failure within the mall's electrical infrastructure.
While the exact cause of the blackout has not been detailed, the involvement of a high-voltage specialist suggests a complex issue with the property’s primary power equipment rather than a standard grid failure.
Impact on shoppers and tenants
The timing of the outage has been particularly difficult for local businesses and residents:
Post-Holiday Returns: Friday typically marks one of the busiest days of the year for gift returns and gift card redemptions.
Economic Loss: Tenants, including major anchors and food court vendors, have lost critical revenue during the final days of the 2025 holiday season.
"A high-voltage specialist will be on site Friday morning to restore power as soon as possible," mall management stated. "The earliest possible reopening date is Saturday."
Shoppers are encouraged to check the mall’s official social media channels for further updates before traveling to the area.
