The days of Grace Ryan prowling the racks of Wolfgang in search of the perfect romper for her friend’s 21st birthday are coming to a close.
On Saturday, the clothing boutique, located at 1127 W. University Ave., will shut its doors for good.
“Wolfgang was, like, kind of special because it was small, and the customer service was great, and they had a lot of trendy clothes,” said the 19-year-old UF accounting sophomore. “You can find something unique there.”
Wolfgang is not alone. All of the businesses from 1105 to 1131 W. University Ave. will be forced to close or relocate to accommodate Hub On Campus, a 411-bed, mixed-use student housing development, according to its website.
Some businesses along the strip, like Papa John’s Pizza and Class Cellular, are already an empty shell. Other places, like Kabab House and Wolfgang, are making the most of the time they have left.
Matthew Turner, the owner of Wolfgang, received notice in July that he would have to clear out the store by the end of September. It meant saying goodbye to a storefront that has housed his business for a decade.
“The company keeps trying to reassure us of how much they care about us and our livelihood, but to me that’s all smoke and mirrors,” he said.
Until it closes, Wolfgang is running sales in an attempt to get rid of everything the store has left. On Thursday, Turner will drive down from Atlanta to pack up whatever remains.
Turner doesn’t have any plans to relocate Wolfgang in Gainesville. With rising rent prices and the looming threat of big businesses, it doesn’t seem like a worthwhile investment, he said.
The effects go beyond just the closing of Wolfgang and neighboring local businesses, Turner said. He believes the closing of stores near his is the beginning of a grim era in Gainesville with more corporate-style establishments and less local businesses.
“I think it’s pretty tragic for the city,” he said. “I think that it signifies a change in Gainesville that is unnecessary and takes away from its character.”
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