A Cloverdale antiquing institution will shut its doors for good next month.
The Cloverdale Antique Mall in Clover Square Village is going out of business at the end of February. Business partner Tim Garrett says the Mall is closing due to an increase in rent.
With operating costs outpacing sales, Garrett said a more expensive lease makes it impossible for the Mall to keep going.
鈥淎 business like ours can鈥檛 afford to pay more,鈥� he said. 鈥淏usinesses like these are not making huge amounts of money.鈥�
Exact figures were not available, but Garrett said the monthly cost of a new lease was described to him as a 鈥渟ignificant increase.鈥�
The Mall going out of business not only affects Garrett鈥檚 livelihood, but his employees, the 40 full-time antique dealers who run their businesses there and over 300 individuals who use the Mall鈥檚 consignment service.
Bill Reid, Executive Director of the Cloverdale Chamber of Commerce, said the Mall is one of Cloverdale鈥檚 biggest att-ractions, and it brings in shoppers from across the Lower Mainland. He described the Mall鈥檚 imminent closure as a sad state of affairs.
鈥淚t鈥檚 an incredible asset,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been a tourist attraction for 12 years.鈥�
In the past, Cloverdale was home to more than a dozen antique dealers. After the Cloverdale Antique Mall and Red Barn Antiques 鈥� another Cloverdale institution in the process of shutting down 鈥� both close up shop only two dealers will remain.
Reid said the Mall gave the dealers that went out of business another chance, but that is coming to an end.
鈥淭hey created an opportunity for them to stay in business,鈥� he said.
For the immediate future, Garrett says he will be putting together a major sale to clear out all of his inventory. Details on the sale have not been finalized, but he said more information will be released shortly.
Looking farther ahead, Garrett doesn鈥檛 have any easy answers. He鈥檚 not sure what he will do after the Mall closes.
鈥淚鈥檝e had my head in this for so long, I can鈥檛 give any thought to what my head will look like without it,鈥� he said.
The Cloverdale Antique Mall would have marked its 12th anniversary on March 1.
