FRACKVILLE - The Schuylkill Mall is losing one of its original stores with the closing of The Heritage Shop next week.
The store, which is a Hallmark Gold Crown card and gift shop, will mark its last day of business on Feb. 22. The store is one of 19 Hallmark stores owned by Matus Enterprises Inc., Wilkes-Barre. Other local stores operated by Matus are in the Fairlane Village mall and Laurel Mall.
Mall general manager Elaine Maneval received word about the closing last week.
"We were notified on Friday through our leasing agent that they're closing," Maneval said. "I believe the store is an original. The store manager has been around for 33 years."
At one time, the mall had two Hallmark brand stores. Maneval said the other store closed within the past 15 years but did not have the specific year available.
"We always hate to lose a store, and sometimes you have an inkling that it's coming, but this one totally shocked us," Maneval said. "It was just like Littman Jewelers. It just totally caught us off-guard. The mall owner reached out to them (Matus) and tried to speak with them. Their response was there was nothing the mall could do to keep them."
Maneval said any store closing has a sudden impact on the employees.
"What is most bothersome about the store closing, outside of the fact that our mall is losing another fine store, is that you really feel for the employees," Maneval said. "Most of the employees in the store have a lot of years under their belts. It had a very consistent and strong staff. From what we saw the store was performing well. It's very sad that those employees are unemployed on just two weeks' notice."
Store manager Peggy Carroll has worked in the mall for 33 years, with 30 of those years as manager of The Heritage Shop. She managed a children's store in the mall for three years.
"I was told of the closing last Friday," Carroll said. "We put a sign in the window on Monday telling of the closing."
Carroll said there are eight employees at the store, many who have been there for many years.
"I have people who are here for more than 20 years," Carroll said. "I don't have a big crew, but I have a great crew. We are very upset. We all love working here. We love the store."
She said that the news of the closing has been upsetting to the store's loyal customers.
"Our customers are very, very upset," Carroll said. "We've had people come in just to give us a hug and tell us how sorry they are and how much they loved the store. They feel very badly about it. Business everywhere is not what it should be, but we had very loyal customers."
No one at Matus Enterprises could be reached for comment.