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The economic downturn is hitting local stores especially hard. Saddest among those affected are the decades-old establishments suddenly facing bankruptcy or liquidation. Recent news affects numerous local stores with particularly long histories:

• 1868: that's when long Strouse's department store in Evansville, Ind., first opened, and the family-run business has been run by the founder's great-grandson for the past 47 years. But Strouse's is beginning liquidation this month and closing around the end of the year.
• Across the border in Ohio, Holcomb's KnowPlace is ending a 137-year-run and closing its last 10 locations. The chain has been slowly closing locations all year.
  
• 89 years: that's how long Hunter Furniture in Birmingham has been open. But current owner Bob Hunter is closing up shop with a final sale starting next week. Hunter cites a combination of factors in the decision to close.
• Compared to the stores above, 1977 sounds like yesterday. But 32 years is a long time for a hometown hardware store to thrive, so in Milwaukee, residents of Edgar are stung that Hardware Hank hasn't found a buyer and is planning on closing.
  

The economic downturn is hitting local stores especially hard. Saddest among those affected are the decades-old establishments suddenly facing bankruptcy or liquidation. Recent news affects numerous local stores with long histories:

• Syracuse, New York, home furnishings retailer Goldberg's is closing after nearly a century in business. Goldberg's, which once operated seven stores across upstate New York, first opened in 1910. Descendants of the founder include the owners of the Raymour & Flanagan furniture chain.
  
• In good ol' Gothenburg, Nebraska, 43-year-old Hometown Variety is closing this autumn after clearing out inventory. Longtime owner Merle Honerman cites rising costs and declining sales as the usual culprits, and says he was unable to find a buyer for the business.
• Kent Hardware in Kent, Ohio, is ending a 125-year-run next month. A sister store will remain open in a neighboring town, but Kent is now left without a hardware store.
• And in Vinton, Iowa, Mahood's Shoe Store is closing after 63 years of operation. Bob Mahood plans on continuing shoe repairs after the clearance sale is complete.
  

Bargain home decorating retailer Old Time Pottery Inc. filed for bankruptcy as part of a restructuring. The chain, which operates 37 stores across 12 states in the southeast, is expecting business as usual with no layoffs.

Garden and outdoor retailer Smith & Hawken is going out of business. All 56 locations are begin final clearance sales today. The chain, which was founded 30 years ago, is being closed after owner Scotts Miracle-Gro couldn't find a buyer. Smith & Hawken's website has already been shut down.

The economic downturn is hitting local stores especially hard. Saddest among those affected are the decades-old establishments suddenly facing bankruptcy or liquidation. Recent news affects a variety of beloved and longtime stores around the country:

• Washington, D.C.'s Apartment Zero is closing its District location after 10 years in business. The owners vow to continue online and may open another location, but in the meantime, the items in store are being liquidated.
• Out in Billings, Montana, Sutton's Sportswear is closing, two and a half years after its original owners sold the store. Sutton's, which made its own line of clothes, had been around since 1981.
• Aurora, Illinois' Montgomery Ace has started its going-out-of-business sale. The store, which had been a go-to for hardware and housewares, had been operating since the 1970s. [added 2:09 p.m.]
• And in Decatur, Illinois, 121-year-old Wyker's Toys closed for good on Tuesday. Wyker's had been family-run since 1888, when it first opened as a hardware store. The owners cite the economy and changing shopping habits as contributing to the store's demise.

Furniture retailer the Door Store filed for bankruptcy protection in late May. The Door Store, which was founded in Ohio in 1953, has had a drastic sales shift since the financial crisis began. High rents on large showrooms are being cited as the main cash flow concern. The company expects to fulfill all outstanding orders and continue operations.

Hendricks Furniture filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy today, citing economic conditions. The company's rapid expansion into Drexel and Thomasville stores created cash flow issues exacerbated by the financial crisis. The company's restructuring plan is already underway.

Famed stationer Mrs. John L. Strong is ceasing operations and closing its store and catalog. For 80 years Mrs. John L. Strong was a high-end purveyor of paper and cards; debutantes and celebrities from Oprah to the Dutchess of York were known to use its stationery, which could cost more than $5 per card. Economic conditions and changing social norms forced the closure of the business, which was still family-owned.

Bathroom fixture manufacturer Waterworks has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and closed 20 stores. The 31-year-old company was forced by economic conditions to perform a rapid downsizing alongside the bankruptcy filing. Waterworks plans on retaining 18 stores.

Mattress manufacturer Spring Air shut down its manufacturing nationwide last week and is filing for bankruptcy protection. The company has been suffering under a severe debt load and reportedly was unable to secure new financing through a buyout. Up to nine plants have been closed and the company's futue is unclear.

The economic downturn is hitting local stores especially hard. Saddest among those affected are the decades-old establishments suddenly facing bankruptcy or liquidation. Recent news affects a pair of stores with particularly long histories:

• Up in Troy, N.Y., residents are girding for life without a hardware store, as Trojan Hardware is closing up shop. Trojan, the last hardware store in town, has been operating since 1915 and occupied a site that has sold hardware since the Civil War.
• And in Dallas, Siegel's liquor store, which has touted a famous neon sign since the 1950s, is closing after 50 years in business. (Timely Demise notes with a smirk that the sign seems to be more lamented than the store itself.)

Multichannel retailer iFloor, which filed for bankruptcy in December, has returned as a pure-play ecommerce site. The new entity, simply called iFloor.com, is being operated by a Chinese firm that bought iFloor's assets. The new owner is planning on being exclusively online for the time being, as iFloor's stores all closed before the takeover. Before bankruptcy iFloor had at least 35 brick-and-mortar stores along with its web presence.

A-Boy Supply, a plumbing and hardware retailer in and around Portland, Washington, is closing four of its six locations in June. The company cites general profitability concerns as the driver of the closings. A-Boy has been in business since 1960 and once had as many as nine locations.

Furniture chain Z Gallerie has filed for bankruptcy. The company said the move would strengthen the business and that it had enough cash to continue operations. Z Gallerie closed 21 of its 78 stores last this winter in response to the sales slowdown.

Several stores formerly profiled on Timely Demise are in the news today.

Pier 1, which announced up to 125 store closings in February, has closed 22 stores so far, 20 of them through lease negotiations.

Aeropostale, which has strong sales results in recent months despite the economy, issued another strong sales report, despite the Jimmy'Z store closings announced recently.

Advantage Rent-a-Car, which filed for bankruptcy in December, has been purchased by Hertz, which reportedly gives the acquiring firm a brand for budget-minded renters.

And in New Jersey, the recently bankrupt Marty's Shoes chain has been brought back to life. Its former CEO and original owner have purchased the Marty's brand out of bankruptcy and opened stores in four locations. An ecommerce site is operational, and plans are to open nearly 20 stores.

Updated April 10.