An Earl May Seed & Nursery location in Council Bluffs, Iowa, will be closing, The Daily Nonpareil reported.
Reduced shopping options at the nearby Mall of the Bluffs creating less customer traffic is the main reason for the closing, said Bill Shaw, the company’s chief executive officer.
“The No. 1 reason is the lack of traffic to the area because of the mall scenario,” he said.
New shopping centers elsewhere, including the Marketplace and Metro Crossing, also hurt business, according to Shaw.
“Everything is going on to the south,” he said.
The Earl May Co. has had a store in Council Bluffs for 50-plus years, he said, and it’s been at that particular location for around 35 years. The store will close at the end of the month or when the merchandise is sold.
The store’s three fulltime employees have been offered jobs at other stores, Shaw said. The closest is the Omaha store at 92nd and Center streets.
Shaw declined to say whether the company would consider a new Council Bluffs location in the future.
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