But will shoppers come to Salt Lake City's Crossroads Plaza and ZCMI Center malls?

Sure, they might come in droves in the near future - with plans for a $1 billion makeover of the two downtown blocks. But that same mall overhaul could hamper sales this holiday season. Dozens of small retailers have exited the malls - the entire third floor and most of the second at Crossroads have been cleared - and the ones remaining aren't sure what kind of sales to expect.

And shoppers wonder whether trekking to the downtown malls is worth it.

"No, it's not worth it," said Lori Pryor, who drove Tuesday from Riverton to visit a store in one of the malls. "More than half the stores are closed."

She won't be back for the big shopping season - unless the malls stock up on the Xbox 360.

Although it has been known since 2003 that the malls would be rebuilt by the LDS Church, the church has not announced when the work will begin. However, the construction deadline seems to be nearing. Some mall tenants say their leases are up after the holiday season. Others - including Borders Books, Music & Cafe - don't know if they will remain after January, and still others are assured a spot during construction, including Nordstrom, Meier & Frank and Deseret Book.

Shop owner Steve Birkeland already has noticed a drop in sales the past few months at his Great Salt Lake Whaling Co. in the ZCMI Center. But he hopes business will pick up.

"I'm still optimistic for November and December," he said. "A lot of people come to town for the lights when they don't come the rest of the year."

In fact, the "Lights On" tradition - when the downtown and Temple Square holiday lights come to life - was created to help consumers and retailers get revved up about the shopping season. The ceremony will take place Friday; thousands are expected to attend.

Amy Durham is coordinating Lights On for the Downtown Alliance and said organizers never considered moving it off Main Street, even with the uncertainty of the malls.

"We wouldn't think of doing it in a different location," she said. "You have the backdrop of Temple Square. It's a logical place."

Not for a handful of retailers. Several in the malls have closed - Victoria Secret, Suncoast, Bath & Body Works, Morgan Jewelers - or relocated to other shopping centers in the valley.

The remaining retailers say they stay in business selling goods to visitors in town to see neighboring Temple Square or for conventions at the Salt Palace.

"We will do very well whether it's empty or not," said John Waggoner, an employee at Bliss, which sells formal wear at the ZCMI Center.

Nate Stansfield, the malls' marketing director, predicts stores such as Nordstrom will draw in shoppers. "I don't think we're going to do off-the-chart fabulous. But I think we're going to be fine. It's a situation where it has to get worse before it gets better."

Despite the large number of empty mall storefronts, David, the owner of Turquoise Connection who wouldn't give his last name, would have liked to remain in Crossroads. He moved his gift shop to 252 S. Main over the summer because his lease at the mall ended. He sees less traffic on Main Street than even in a largely vacant mall.

That's because of the "convenience of being indoors compared to walking on Main Street," he says. "The other thing is parking - Crossroads had good access, parking. Main Street doesn't."

David Dean, co-owner of the card and gift shops Tabula Rosa and Cabin Fever, could have stayed at Crossroads during reconstruction, but bailed in May because his shops weren't assured mall spots after renovation.

"We were left completely in the dark. We had no idea what their plans were or whether we would fit in them or not," Dean said. "We weren't about to stay where it's rather clear businesses are going to really suffer" during construction.

Dean's stores are at Trolley Square - with more space and sales.

"Basically, the day we moved, our numbers went up," he said. Of the stores that remained at the downtown malls, "I frankly don't know how they're doing it."

Sonya Carrion, store manager of Mariposa, a clothing store at Crossroads, expects sales to drop from last year. She figures the corporate owners in Canada have kept the store open because the lack of other stores equals a lack of competition. "We still get people, but it's not like last year."

Ben Tate, assistant store manager at Franklin Covey in the ZCMI Center, isn't worried about a dearth of holiday sales. He's counting on the store's longtime customers to continue to stop by. Plus, the shop is in a busier section of the mall, near the Food Court and Deseret Book.

"If you look from our door, you can't see an empty storefront," Tate said. "Mr. Mac just moved [nearby]. Next to Deseret Book is a strong place to be."

Hot Topic is in a near-empty corridor in Crossroads. Store manager Alanja, who wouldn't give her last name, expects to have a "good holiday season," but it is hard to predict. "We've never operated in this mall under circumstances like this." Bellezza Salon

Brookstone

Borders Books, Music & Cafe

California Nails

Footlocker

General Nutrition Center

Hot Topic

LensCrafters

Living Scriptures

Mariposa

Mervyn's

Nations Creations

Nordstrom

T-Mobile

Trade Secret

Tresor Jewelers

Ypsilon

Open at ZCMI Center

All Digital Wireless

Bennion Jewelers

Bliss

Chocolate Covered Wagon

Deseret Book

Dollar Tree

Dressed in White

Firenze Art & Gifts

Franklin Covey

Gloria's Cuts

Great Salt Lake Whaling Co.

Hope Gallery

Inkley's 1-Hour Photo

Meier & Frank

Mr. Mac

Mrs. Cavanaugh's

O. C. Tanner

Parry's Office Supplies

Payless ShoeSource

Precision Time

Pro Nails

Repartee Gallery

Shapiro

Souvenir Stop

T-Shirt Outpost

Tie One On

Top Alterations

Which Watch

Wilderness Woods

Williams Fine Art

Downtown Friday: Festivities for the annual "Lights On" event

3:30 p.m.

Holiday craft market on the east side of Main Street between 100 South and South Temple.

4:30 p.m.

Studio A Choir, with guest artist Rebecca Croft, perform in front of Meier & Frank.

5 p.m.

Countdown to the illumination by Congressman Jim Matheson and FM 100 host Bob Nelson in front of Meier & Frank.

5:20 p.m.

Holiday lights on downtown streets and at Temple Square switch on. Unveiling of Meier & Frank's windows decorated with Christmas trees, to be sold to benefit Primary Children's Medical Center in connection with Festival of Trees.

6 p.m.

The Gallivan Center concert by the Choral Arts Society of Utah and West Valley Symphony Choir.

7 p.m.

Kurt Bestor, Studio A Choir and Rebecca Croft perform at The Gateway's Olympic Legacy Plaza.

Street closed Northbound traffic on Main Street between South Temple and 100 South from 2 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The southbound lane will be open.

Free 2-hour parking at street meters Thursday to Jan. 2.