To be honest, news that Mid City Mall is up for sale and possible redevelopment hasn’t caused many complaints. The old Highlands spot is widely seen as, well, grungy. It’s no coincidence that local wits often call it Skid City Mall.

But within those 63-year-old walls reside a few highly regarded shops. Would the demise of the mall spell an end to popular institutions like the Highlands-Shelby Park Library, Valu Market, and Baxter Avenue Theatres? That realization can trigger the sounds of wailing and gnashing of teeth.