SALISBURY, Md.- Another national chain business is closing its doors on Delmarva.
Pier 1 Imports announced this week that it is closing roughly 450 of its stores nationwide, which makes up about half of its locations. According to an employee, Dover, Ocean City and Salisbury are among the locations to close.
On Wednesday, a Pier 1 employee shared a memo with WBOC, which includes a list of talking points for store managers about the closings. The employee says they were told Monday about the closings taking place in Dover, Ocean City and Salisbury.
Shoppers say they're sad to see the store go, especially since some shoppers who live out of town come to Salisbury for the Centre at Salisbury mall.
"The mall area, to me, is a lot better," says Florence Stanley, of Laurel, Del. "Because I take my leisure time. As a senior, I enjoy getting out of the house and this is one of my outlets."
Business leaders say these recent closures match a growing trend nationwide of brick and mortars going out of business.
"It's always personal. The human impact is what I think most of us think of. Macy's has 80 some employees and Pier 1 probably has a couple of dozen or so," said Mike Dunn, executive director of the Greater Salisbury Committee. "And, they've been a part of the fabric of our community and of our region and it's sad."
But as it has happened before with other retailers, Dunn says he remains optimistic about the future, citing a strong local economy.
"I think that we're all adjusting as consumers, as members of the community," Dunn says. "It's a blow to lose Macy's. It will be a blow to lose Pier 1, but I think if all things remain positive, that we'll figure a way forward."
Many Pier 1 shoppers say they agree.
"It'll be made up somewhere else. I really believe that," Denise Crockett of Laurel says. "One door opens and another one closes or the other way around -- one door closes and another door opens. It'll all work out."
Employees we spoke with at the Pier 1 store in Salisbury say corporate will announce the official list of store closings on Friday.
