Nearly 40 years ago, the cover story on the Feb. 19, 1976, issue of Illinois Times pondered how White Oaks Mall would affect Springfi eld’s downtown and the much less developed (at the time) west side. “The sudden, immense increase in retailing facilities cannot help but make a dramatic impact on Springfi eld,” wrote Mark Heyman, then an associate professor of city planning at Sangamon State University. Although the mall’s existence has undoubtedly created competition for downtown businesses, Simon Property Group, the company which owns the mall, has long made an effort to incorporate local retailers. The latest such effort is the Central Illinois Boutique, a space near the mall’s Santa Photo Experience for local retailers to set up shop temporarily, whether it be for a day or a week. The fi rst retailer to occupy the space will be the Itty Bitty Fashion Truck, a women’s clothing shop on wheels, on Dec. 12 and 13. “White Oaks Mall draws shoppers from all over the region because of its coveted national brands, but we also recognize that our shoppers sometimes want a one-of-a-kind buying experience,” said Nick Strause, general manager at White Oaks Mall. “The Central Illinois Boutique concept gives our guests the best of both worlds, while supporting local entrepreneurs at the same time.”