Shoppers scanned rows of holiday cards Thursday morning — one of their last chances at The Oaks Mall Hallmark.
“You’d be surprised at how many people don’t see the sign,” said owner Dave DeLongy as he straightened a tall, red sign: “STORE CLOSING. CLEARANCE SALE.”
Locally owned stores may be scarce in shopping malls, but DeLongy and his wife have owned the Hallmark since the mall opened in 1978. Since then, DeLongy said he’s been working “6.2 days a week” at the store, which will close the last week of February.
The couple has owned three stores at the mall, but Hallmark is the one that stuck.
“It’s been a major part of our life for 37 years,” he said. “You’re married to your business if you want to do it correctly.”
Sales dropped in 2009 while rent and other costs rose steadily, DeLongy said. With the Feb. 28 lease end looming, DeLongy and his wife considered retirement. After reaching out for a lease renewal and receiving no response from General Growth Properties, which owns the mall, DeLongy accepted the closure.
David Keating, the GGP vice president of corporate communications, declined to comment.
“No sour grapes,” DeLongy said. “I feel mostly for our customers because it’s like an old sofa; you felt comfortable. Many people we knew on a first-name basis.”
In one aisle, store regular Brenda Bullard carried a music box — a gift for her daughter.
“It’s sad to see it go,” Bullard said. “I may try and come back to stock up on cards.”
[A version of this story ran on page 5 on 2/10/2015 under the headline “Oaks store closing after 37 years"]
A photo of the Hallmark store in the Oaks Mall on Thursday afternoon. The locally owned store, which has been open for 37 years, will close on Feb. 28.
