Two stores in Grand Forks’ Columbia Mall to close in January

Dec. 30—GRAND FORKS — Two stores in the Columbia Mall are scheduled to close their doors in January, according to store managers.

The last day of business for American Eagle Outfitters will be Jan. 19.

Tradehome Shoes will close at the end of the business day on Jan. 25.

“You never want to see a store close,” said Andrew Millage, manager of the American Eagle Outfitters store at West Acres in Fargo, who was working at the Grand Forks store Saturday, Dec. 28.

The store, which has been open in Columbia Mall for 30 years, “is not closing due to sales or the lack thereof,” said Millage, who’s been with American Eagle Outfitters for a few months. The store has been operating in West Acres since the Fargo mall opened in 1972, he said.

A Facebook post noted that American Eagle Outfitters requested the air conditioning in the store be fixed, but mall management responded that that was the store’s responsibility.

Also on Facebook, Mayor Brandon Bochenski responded to a question about what could be done about businesses closing in town: ” … We have steady growth which is attractive to retail, if we can have a willing partner in the mall, that would help. For now we have to promote shopping local and seek local ownership in the mall that has interest in the success of our community and not a tax write off.”

The American Eagle Outfitters company, which operates stores nationwide, “is an outstanding company to work for,” Millage said, noting the “family-life balance” is exceptionally favorable and “this company is well-managed.”

The pending closure of the Grand Forks store, with roughly eight to 10 employees, “is hard on all of us,” said Stephanie Larson, of Grand Forks, an employee. She started working full time at the store in September, and is hoping to find another job here, she said.

DuWayne Johnson, who manages the Tradehome Shoes store, said, referring to the retail business, “Things are different these days, and people don’t shop at the mall anymore.”

As a company, “Tradehome is doing great,” Johnson said, “but, unfortunately, this is one of those locations that is not doing so hot anymore.”

Since he moved to Grand Forks, he’s noticed that the city as a whole has seen business vitality decline, he said. “I’ve seen a lot of places leaving, I’ve seen restaurants and other places close. We need some things to change to bring people back.”

“I love what I do; I love helping people out,” said Johnson, who’s been managing the store for about a year-and-a-half, after moving from Missouri. Altogether, he’s been with Tradehome Shoes for about three years, and plans to relocate to another one of the company’s 135 nationwide stores, he said. The company is “growing and expanding.”

The Tradehome Shoes store began operating in Grand Forks in the 1970s, but started at a different location, Johnson said.

“The community isn’t getting involved (in shopping at the mall) as much as it used to,” Johnson said. “Online shopping is such a big thing these days.

While he does understand the lure of shopping online in the comfort of home, he said, it leads to the closing of stores, like his, in the mall.

“The stores, the community, the mall management — we all have to work together,” Johnson said.

The local Tradehome Shoes store has provided “great service,” he said, but “people don’t shop out anymore. We finished strong, and did what we could.”

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