Small business inside Nittany Mall to close after 9 years, owner looks to sell
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Finatics Aquarium plans to close after nine years at Nittany Mall location.
- Owner seeks $240,000 sale price including $40,000 in aquarium inventory.
- Mall lawsuit cites $20,000 in unpaid rent; court hearing set for July 16.
A small pet store inside the Nittany Mall is closing after nearly nine years in business.
It’s unclear when Finatics Aquarium & Pet Center will close, but its storefront is dotted with store closing signs. Owner Jeff Bailey told the Centre Daily Times he was not immediately available for comment Friday.
He’s looking to sell the business for $240,000, which includes $40,000 of inventory. The shop opened in 2016 and Bailey said in a Facebook post that the store’s gross revenue is $175,000.
The 1,600-square-foot space had a 10-year lease that was set to expire Aug. 31, 2026. Rent is $1,500 per month.
Bailey publicly signaled his intention to sell the business in July 2023, writing in a Facebook post that he needed to tend to “family health issues.”
The mall filed a lawsuit seeking to evict Finatics less than six months after that post, saying in the filing that the business owed nearly $20,000 in unpaid rent. There were few filings since as the two sides “attempted to resolve this matter amicably.”
A message left Friday with the mall’s attorney was not immediately returned. A status conference with Centre County Judge Julia Rater is scheduled for July 16.