Elder-Beerman’s parent company, Bon-Ton, will be closing all stores in 2018. Stores are expected close within the next 10-12 weeks. The Lima store closed in early 2016.
Rumors of closure were floating around in late 2017. Social Findlay spoke over the phone with a Findlay Elder-Beerman employee at that time, who reassured us that the Findlay location would remain open. Reports stated that about 40 stores would be closing. Findlay was not included in that December list. In fact, the location was bustling with pre-Christmas business when we visited it on the 23rd of December.
News resurfaced on April 17th. Bon-Ton confirmed liquidation on April 18th. Great American Group, Tiger Capital Group, and Bon-Ton’s own bondholders won the auction to acquire the company. According to CEO William Tracey, an “orderly wind-down of operations” when liquidation is finalized.
This leaves the Findlay Village Mall You without a department store ‘anchor.’ The Courier pointed out in their article about the closing business that Elder Beerman was also the last remaining department store in downtown Findlay. They had a satellite branch on Main Street until 1994. You can read about the history of the mall here.
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