A POPULAR fashion retailer will be closing its doors soon but diehard shoppers will be pleased to know they have a nearby option.
Talbots is marking the end of an era after 27 years of being at The Summit shopping center in Birmingham, Alabama when it shuts the location on October 26.
Talbots store has been a fixture at shopping center since opening back in 1997.
Customers were alerted to the bad news with a sad sign inside the store which read: “This location is closing, but this isn’t goodbye.”
It redirected loyal customers to another location in Montgomery, Alabama. and encouragd them to shop online.
The news was first shared on the Friends of HWY 280 Facebook page, where many long-time customers expressed their disappointment.
One person commented: “So terribly disappointed. This store served a huge community for such a long time… Sad day for women of the community.”
Another wrote, “I’m heartbroken. That location is a beautiful store. I often visit.”
Several customers voiced frustration, speculating that the closure is linked to the upcoming arrival of a Lululemon store at The Summit.
One Facebook user quipped: “So disappointed in The Summit for pushing this move for Lululemon. I guess money talks.”
But Talbots insists the closure doesn’t mean the end for dedicated fans, as their Montgomery location remains open around an hour’s drive away.
And if that doesn’t suit, shoppers can always continue to shop online.
The Summit, meanwhile, has been busy with other new openings, including stores like American Eagle, Mizzen + Main, and Gorjana Jewelry.
Luxury brand BOSS is also set to open in the upscale mall by the end of 2024.
It comes as part of a raft of brick-and-mortar stores shuttering across the nation.
Retail experts say many chains are in financial strife due to increased borrowing costs and consumers tightening their wallets.
Several retailers across the United States have undergone mass closures after bankruptcy filings this year.
Billionaire investor Mark Cuban says major retailers must strike the right balance between offering customers online retail and brick-and-mortar shopping, warning shoppers still “want both”.
In an exclusive interview with The U.S. Sun, the Shark Tank star said he believed consumers still wanted a “tactile” in-store experience for certain products rather than buying them product online.
Cuban also acknowledged retailers including Walmart are downsizing their retail footprint amid a rise in e-commerce.
“People want to go shopping, they want that tactile experience,” Cuban told The U.S. Sun.
“And that’s changed now, people want a combination of both, and so you may not get as many physical brick and mortar locations but that doesn’t mean those large companies have to go out of business.”
