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S & R CLOSING:A RETAIL ANCHOR IN DOWNTOWN KINGSTON FOR HALF A CENTURY IS CLOSING SHOP.

April 15, 2009

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A RETAIL ANCHOR IN DOWNTOWN KINGSTON FOR HALF A CENTURY IS CLOSING SHOP.

THE OWNER OF THE "S-AND-R DEPARTMENT STORE" SAYS HE CAN NO LONGER COMPETE WITH BIG RETAIL CHAINS, HIGH TAXES AND ROAD CONSTRUCTION.

THE DISCOUNT STORE WILL CLOSE IN JULY, THROWING 80 PEOPLE OUT OF WORK.

AND THE HERITAGE BUILDING IS NOW UP FOR SALE.

NEWSWATCH'S DARRYN DAVIS REPORTS.

THE OWNER OF THE VENERABLE S&R DEPARTMENT STORE SAYS IT'S ONE OF THE TOUGHEST THINGS HE'S HAD TO DO.

AFTER 50 YEARS IN THE FAMILY RETAIL BUSINESS, MICHAEL ROBINSON TOLD HIS 80 EMPLOYEES THEY WILL SOON BE OUT OF WORK.

ONE OF THE CITY'S LAST REMAINING INDEPENDENT DEPARTMENT STORES WILL SHUT ITS DOORS PERMANENTLY THIS SUMMER.

SOME OF ROBINSON'S EMPLOYEES HAVE BEEN WITH HIM FOR 25 YEARS.

MICHAEL ROBINSON

" THAT'S WHY IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT THIS MORNING IN TELLING THEM. THEY'VE BEEN HERE A LONG TIME, THEY'VE DONE A GREAT JOB, THEY'VE BEEN VERY LOYAL AND YOU KNOW IT WAS DIFFICULT THIS MORNING."

ROBINSON CITES A NUMBER OF FACTORS FOR THE STORE'S DEMISE.

CRUSHING COMPETITION FROM BIG RETAIL CHAINS ... A PROPERTY ASSESSMENT THAT DOUBLED.... UPCOMING ROAD CONSTRUCTION WORK ON LOWER PRINCESS STREET... AND A DROP IN AMERICAN TOURISTS

ANOTHER REASON FOR THE CLOSURE COMES DOWN TO THE BUILDING ITSELF.

DESPITE LOW COST MERCHANDISE AND EVEN AN ELEVATOR GREETER .... THE FOUR STORY LIMESTONE LANDMARK IS NOT CONSIDERED VIABLE IN TODAYS RETAIL MARKET.

MICHAEL ROBINSON

"IF YOU LOOK AT MOST OF THE STORES BEING BUILT TODAY THEY'RE ON ONE LEVEL AND THEY'RE ONE LEVEL FOR A REASON IS IT'S VERY EFFICIENT TO OPERATE. SO THE THINGS THAT MADE US UNIQUE WERE ACTUALLY...MADE IT DIFFICULT TO MAKE THE CHANGES THAT WERE NECESSARY."

THE PROPERTY HAS BEEN LISTED FOR SALE -- BUT WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS FOR THE CORNER OF PRINCESS AND ONTARIO STREET IS STILL TO BE DETERMINED.

THE CITY'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AGENCY IS ALREADY SHOPPING AROUND A FEW IDEAS.

JEFF GARRAH

"IT MIGHT BE INTERESTING TO CONSIDER THIS OPPORTUNITY WITH THE REDEVELOPMENT OF THE NORTH BLOCK GIVEN THE FACT THAT IT'S ADJACENT TO THOSE PROPERTIES, WOULD RETAIL GO IN THERE PROBABLY NOT, MIGHT THERE BE OTHER ALTERNATIVES IN TERMS OF OFFICE SPACE, SOMETHING SIMILAR A HOTEL A BOUTIQUE HOTEL THERE COULD BE. "

S AND R WILL BEGIN TO CLEAR OUT ITS MERCHANDISE NEXT WEEK.

THE CLOSE-OUT SALE IS EXPECTED TO LAST UNTIL LATE JULY.

AND WHEN IT FINALLY CLOSES -- THE DOWNTOWN WILL LOSE AN ANCHOR BUSINESS.

DARRYN DAVIS CKWS NEWSWATCH KINGSTON.

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