As malls across the country struggle to reinvent themselves and stay relevant, Annapolis Mall on Wednesday named Mariah Michaud as its new general manager.

Hailing from Maine, Michaud brings more than 18 years of commercial real estate management experience, much of it in the San Francisco Bay area for companies such as Madison Marquette and Union Property Capital.

“There’s a number of things [at the Annapolis Mall] that really sparked my interest,” Michaud said. “The fact that Annapolis is a thriving community, and the mall is owned by a developer now. First-party developer mindset is really where I thrive in the workplace, and it’s different than straight property management.”

Centennial, a real estate owner and operator, along with Atlas Hill Real Estate and other partners, acquired the mall in September for $160 million, according to a 2024 earnings report from former owner Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield.

Michaud said that traditional property management can be monotonous, whereas developers often look to reimagine their properties, an idea Centennial’s president, Paul Kurzawa, has touted.

“I can see the vision that an architect might see, I can see the vision that a developer might see and translate it to the rest of the people who actually do the hard work, the day-to-day stuff on the ground,” she said.

Michaud began in the industry as a utility engineer: painting, putting up sheetrock, and running electrical conduit. Her role will be to make sure those people at Annapolis Mall have what they need to do their jobs.

The transformation in Annapolis, Michaud said, comes amid an industry-wide shift toward entertainment-focused attractions, making businesses like the soon-to-close JCPenney a casualty of changing market tastes. Consumers today say they want their shopping trips to be experiences provided by places like the soon to arrive Dick’s House of Sport.

“Wellness, elevated look and feel, higher-end immersions, local artists, artisans and creators, those are all on trend for where we’re going, and creating that kind of mix, and increasing relationships with local organizations and makers is really going to drive the future of the center, and that’s really what we’re focusing on. And in that sort of transformation, someone like JCPenney is just naturally going to fall away,” she said.

Michaud, a graduate of Saint Joseph’s College in Maine and Northeastern University in Boston, started last month and said she has found a neighborly community that was missing while she was on the West Coast.

“Bringing a wealth of management experience as well as a passion for the arts, culture and community, we are thrilled to welcome Mariah to our incredible team,” said Stephen White, EVP Property Management of Centennial, said in a statement. “We look forward to her contributions to continue making Annapolis Mall a safe, welcoming and engaging destination that meets the needs of the community and seamlessly blends retail, dining and entertainment for the evolving shopper.”

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