State College clothing store to close due to economic impact from COVID-19 pandemic
After 25 years, AJ Fine’s Sample Sale in State College is closing its doors as the latest victim of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The women’s clothing, shoe and accessory shop — at 1341 S. Atherton St. — recently announced it will close near the end of the year, although no concrete date has yet been set. In the meantime, the store run by co-owners Art and Nancy Fine will feature a going-out-of-business sale that includes $20 for all garments, $15 for all shoes and all jewelry marked 75% off.
Art Fine acknowledged the closure came about due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With a more mature clientele, and without events such as weddings and reunions, AJ’s Sample Sale didn’t see the same level of business or foot traffic it had become accustomed to. The shop was also forced to close for about two months earlier in the year, as were most other non-essential businesses.
“I love the store — it’s a good store — but, like Neil Young says, there comes a time,” Fine added.
The store, located in the same shopping center as Talbots, first opened around 1996 as the brainchild of Nancy, who could never seem to find a style that suited her elsewhere in State College. Nancy never wanted public credit, Fine said, which is why his name is on the store instead of hers.
The shop was a passion project for Fine’s wife, who was meticulous about its appearance. Fine laughed while recalling how the two would climb into their car, get ready to drive off — and Nancy would then spot a display-window necklace that was just a bit off-center on the mannequin.
“I’d say, ‘Nancy are you kidding me? Who cares?’” Fine remembered. “And she’d say, ‘Art,’ and I’d have to go in and move the necklace. That’s the way it was.
“We’re going to miss it.”
This is the second shop that Fine has been forced to close this calendar year, although the first had nothing to do with the pandemic. Metro, which was a downtown staple for about 35 years, closed over the summer after a new landlord attempted to nearly triple Fine’s rent.
Fine still boasts two stores downtown, Barefoot (130 E. College Ave.) and Peoples Nation (126 E. College Ave.), with no plans to close either.
“Those stores are OK now but, like everybody else, nobody knows what’s around the corner,” Fine said. “And if someone tells you they know, they’re not telling you the truth. This is a very, very difficult time and things are not over.”
Fine said he never had much of an exit strategy. He and Nancy wanted to do this as long as they could — and, even without AJ’s Sample Sale, they still plan to.
“I loved every minute of it,” Fine added. “And I still have Barefoot and Peoples Nation — and that’s enough to keep me busy.”
This story was originally published November 10, 2020 at 7:00 AM.
