A HARDWARE store closes its doors and offers an “everything must go” sale.
True Value, a competitor of Home Depot and Lowe’s, is losing one of its thousands of locations in just a few weeks.
The Salem, Ohio, location will close on September 8, an employee told The US Sun.
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This is south of Youngstown, on the border with Pennsylvania.
As local NBC affiliate WFMJ reported last week, the store had previously put up signs announcing the sale.
The store is currently offering 10% off all items.
Larger discounts may be available for certain items.
CUSTOMERS REACT
With just a few weeks left until the end of Salem True Value, locals share their thoughts.
Some responded to local news reports on the Internet.
“They’re closing everywhere I like to shop,” one said in a Facebook comment.
“I love this store, so convenient and everyone is always so helpful,” said another. “It makes me sad to see them close.”
Others were not surprised by the closure.
“I didn’t see many people there, and I rarely saw myself, but I bought things there,” said one.
One local suggested the location might be partly to blame.
“None of the previous businesses survived at this location!” they wrote. “People had all but forgotten it was there.”
There are several similar stores in the same mall, including a Home Depot and a Tractor Supply Co.
CLOSURE
Many companies have struggled to maintain their brick-and-mortar operations in recent years.
True Value closed a branch in nearby Youngstown earlier this year.
It’s not just hardware stores.
Regional grocery retailer Stop and Shop is closing 32 locations.
This has triggered fears of a so-called “death spiral.”
A Texas True Value closed almost a year ago.
Dollar General recently closed five stores in the same neighborhood.
Why are JCPenney stores closing?
JCPenney made headlines after announcing that the chain will close several stores in the coming months.
The once thriving department store chain is facing declining sales and is struggling to attract new customers.
The rise of online shopping has also reached brick-and-mortar stores and shopping malls.
When the Covid-19 pandemic hit, retailers, including JCPenney, suffered another blow that proved fatal for many.
The retailer’s financial difficulties peaked in May 2020, when it filed for bankruptcy protection with debts of around $4 million.
The subsequent restructuring saw a number of store closures as the retailer pursued a new strategy for sustainable growth.
Between 2020 and 2021, 175 stores were closed nationwide.
But even after the takeover, the company continues to struggle with sales problems, particularly as consumers tighten their belts due to high living costs and inflation.
JCPenney’s net sales fell to $2.3 billion in the fourth quarter, down 5.9 percent from a year earlier, while net income fell 8.9 percent to $41 million.
