Bon-Ton will close in Clearview Mall
CENTER TWP — The Bon-Ton department store in the Clearview Mall, a mainstay since 1982, will close early next year.
The company announced Tuesday it won't renew its lease with the mall when it expires Jan. 31.
Kathryn Bufano, president and CEO of Bon-Ton Stores, said in a news release the decision to close the store was based on performance reviews.
“While decisions to close stores are not taken lightly, we are very mindful of asset returns,” she said. “Store closings are part of ongoing real estate initiatives in which we selectively and strategically conclude operations at underperforming locations while also seeking opportunities in markets where we believe our assets will be better employed.”
There are 38 employees at the Bon-Ton in the Clearview Mall. The company said in a release that workers can interview for positions at other Bon-Ton stores or can receive severance and other career transition benefits.
The Clearview Mall, which is owned by J.J. Gumberg Co., has more than 60 stores. Bon-Ton, Boscov's, JCPenney, Sears, Dick's Sporting Goods and T.J. Maxx are the largest stores there.
John Brautigam, mall manager, Tuesday afternoon declined to comment because he had not received confirmation from Bon-Ton corporate offices about the closing.
Representatives from Bon-Ton Stores and J.J. Gumberg Co. did not return calls for comment.
Ed Latuska, chairman of the township supervisors, said Tuesday he had not heard of the closing.
“You hate to see anybody lose a job,” he said. “We're trying to encourage people to come to Center Township. It's a negative impact on the surrounding area. Hopefully it's short term.”
Latuska said the closing affects the taxes the township gets. He said the mall is a big part of the township's annual budget.“It's very important to Center Township,” he said. “We all want the Clearview Mall to succeed for their benefit as well as the township's.”Township secretary Anthony Amendolea said individual stores in the mall contribute to the township's mercantile tax, which accounts for about 6 percent of the township's general fund revenues.The mall itself pays real estate taxes on all of the stores.Supervisor Ken Frenchak said he had not heard about the store closing, but said the news is surprising and unfortunate.Frenchak said the mall's financial success is a big part of the township.“That's our downtown,” he said. “This will have an effect.”Frenchak hopes another business will fill the vacancy soon, but said the mall faces some challenges due to its location.“The malls closer to Pittsburgh can draw more name-brand businesses,” he said.Debora Dawson of Jefferson Township was surprised to hear about the store's closing as she was leaving the mall on Tuesday. She said the store has a great children's section and great employees.“They're usually very helpful,” Dawson said.She said she was disappointed the store would close, saying the Butler area needs more full-scale department stores.Bon-Ton has 273 stores in 26 states. The company has headquarters in York and Milwaukee, Wis.Bon-Ton is not the first major attraction in the mall to close this year. The Clearview Mall Cinemas closed in March due to the need to convert to digital projectors. And the Asian Buffet restaurant has a sign on it noting it is closed, a status confirmed by the mall's manager.<I>Contributing to this report was Eagle staff writer John Bojarski.</I>
