COUNCIL BLUFF, IA (KMTV) - — Brick and Mortar stores are closing at staggering numbers across the country, and store owners in the metro are now feeling the same struggles.
One of the latest closings is the Mall of the Bluffs in Council Bluffs, Ia.
Most stores have already vacated the property, but they have until December 31 to move.
We caught up with Nami Gannon, owner of Nami's Tailoring and Alterations, as she was packing up.
Gannon tells us she's had her store inside the mall for the past 15 years.
She and family have seen many changes at the mall over the years, but say they hoped it wouldn't come to this.
Gannon says many of her customers were sad to hear of its closing, but she and her husband Fred say the mall has been on the decline for some time.
"Our business was really good when we were over by Dillard's," Fred Gannon said. "Then when they started shutting down the mall we migrated over here and the businesses dropped off and dropped off. "Now, we're hoping that with that exposure for all the folks who come through Sam's and JCPenny--and all the stores over there--there's going to be a tremendous amount of traffic over there."
Nami says she'll miss all the familiar faces who used to come by her store.
"[It's] sad, I want to cry sad," Nami said.
"We've been here a long time, we spent a lot of time here, we've invested a lot of time here," Fred said. "But talking to her customers, they're all very happy we're going to be staying in the Council Bluffs area."
The Gannons tell us they only received about a 4 weeks notice stating they'd have to move.
Fred says, they'd hope to move the business near Sears, but there wasn't enough time to make it happen.
Their new location will be at 20 Power Drive Suite 3 in Council Bluffs.
The Gannons hope to re-open by January 7.
Menard's has purchased Mall of the Bluff's property, and officials say they plan to tear it down and rebuild a new Menard's.
