While the manager for the Penn Steve and Barry's University Sportswear was reluctant to point to any one factor as a reason for their closing, the manager has started to discuss why the sportswear retailer has decided to close its doors at 38th and Spruce streets permanently.
"There's just not enough traffic," the store's manager said, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
The Penn branch of the store became the first location of the Steve and Barry's retail chain when it opened on campus in 1988. The chain now has outlets in 15 locations across the United States.
Customers were first alerted to the store's imminent closing when employees posted liquidation sale signs in the windows last Wednesday.
Officials from Steve and Barry's University Sportswear's corporate offices, located in Great Neck, N.Y., did not return repeated phone calls.
"It's sad," the store's manager said. "It's really hard. This was our first store, so we're all pretty bummed out."
However, according to the manager of the Philadelphia store, the company itself is "doing really well." At the moment, none of the other Steve and Barry's locations will be closing.
The store's manager has given no definitive date for when the store will close, but said the store plans to sell its entire stock before officially closing its doors.
"We're going to stay until we sell out," said the manager. "We still have stuff coming in, but we'll be staying until its all gone."
As of Friday, the University had not received any official notice from the store, which occupies University-owned space, according to Vice President of Facilities Omar Blaik.
-- Stephanie Ramos
