Another business is leaving St. Clair Square mall

The opening of Sky Zone in Fairview Heights may have knocked a St. Clair Square tenant out of its space at the mall, according to its owner.

One year after opening, KnockerBall 618 has announced plans to close. The business is “just not as busy as it was,” owner George Roethemeyer said.

Several stores have closed in the mall the past few years, but the mall is still healthy, according to St. Clair Square Manager Michael Hagen and the city’s new economic development director, Paul Ellis.

Roethemeyer knows online shopping has decreased foot traffic at the mall. On top of that, the new trampoline park in town, Sky Zone, was hard to compete with.

“If we would have known, we would have waited,” Roethemeyer said about Sky Zone opening.

What’s KnockerBall? It’s a game where people step inside of large inflatable plastic balls and run into each other. The concept is popular around the country, but it didn’t work at the mall, Roethemeyer said.

Their last day of business will be Dec. 17. To mark the closure, KnockerBall 618 will host an all-you-can-play event from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. Dec. 15. The cost is $15 per person.

KnockerBall 618 will continue to do private parties and events off-site. For more information, check them out on Facebook or call 618-660-2660.

This story was originally published December 6, 2017 at 5:20 PM with the headline "Another business is leaving St. Clair Square mall."