New year, more closures: 3 businesses in the Nittany Mall plan to shut their doors
The Nittany Mall is set to lose three more businesses, including one of its longest-tenured.
Hot Topic, Kozee’s Sports Emporium and Christopher & Banks all plan to shutter, according to Facebook posts from each business. It was not immediately clear when each planned to close.
Christopher & Banks, a specialty women’s retailer, filed for bankruptcy Thursday and cited the coronavirus as a driving factor in the decision.
The pandemic disrupted shopping habits for women who shop at stores that offer formal attire, company President and CEO Keri Jones said in a statement.
“Our entire company has put forth a herculean effort to fight through this,” the Minneapolis-based company wrote on Facebook. “However, a once in a 100-year pandemic proved to be an impossible event to overcome.”
Closing sales are underway at Hot Topic and Kozee’s Sports Emporium, according to Facebook posts from the companies. Hot Topic, a chain specializing in clothing and accessories for teens, has been in the mall for about two decades.
Nearly half of the mall’s storefronts are vacant. An additional 10,665 square feet are set to be unclaimed once all three businesses close.
Three of the mall’s four anchor locations are vacant, though plans for Rural King to move into the former Sear’s location are still moving forward.
College Township is reviewing the home and farm store chain’s plans that were submitted in July. There is no timeline for when the company may move into the mall.
This story was originally published January 16, 2021 at 9:11 AM.