store closings: October 2009 Archives

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.
  

All 152 locations of InkStop closed Thursday night without notice. The closings are being called "temporary" and information about a restructuring is pending.

An internal memo from the board of directors reads, in part, "The company has elected to temporarily close all stores at the close of business today October 1, to focus on a restructuring plan in an effort to improve the overall operations of the organization. All employees are laid off until further notice."

Employees, who have gone without benefits for the past few weeks, were not informed in advance.