FRACKVILLE — Black Diamond Antiques & Collectibles at the Schuylkill Mall is closing Sunday.
Signs at both entrances say the store will close at 5 p.m. Sunday. Black Diamond has been at the mall for 18 years.
“It’s a shame,” Brad Hamilton, 57, of Fleetwood, Berks County, said.
He stopped by the store Tuesday and said he stops when he’s in the area.
Elaine Maneval, mall manager, confirmed the store is closing Sunday. Maneval wrote a letter May 6 that was then sent to the 60 vendors at the location. A message was also posted on the mall’s Facebook page. In part, the letter reads, “Thank you for your continued support of Black Diamond Antiques. Your business relationship with Empire Schuylkill Black Diamond LLC (Licensor) has been truly appreciated. Sadly, this letter is to inform you Empire Schuylkill Black Diamond LLC has made a decision to close Black Diamond Antiques.”
It says the items for sale by the dealers must be removed by June 1, adding help is available if needed. The sheriff’s sale scheduled at 10 a.m. June 17 in courtroom No. 1 is listed as the reason for the decision, according to the letter. A judgment was entered Jan. 20, for the plaintiff, Walnut Street 2014-1 issuer LLC, by and through The BancorpBank, its servicer and agent for $27,428,876.10 against Empire Schuylkill LP, the owner of the mall, for the mall located at 830 Schuylkill Mall Road.
“As difficult as this decision is, Empire Schuylkill Black Diamond LLC is taking this route in the best interest of both the dealers and the staff at Black Diamond,” the letter said.
A closure date of 9 p.m. May 9 was on the letter. Maneval said she did not pick the date and declined to say how the date was arrived at. The vendors have leases and they had to be notified in writing, Maneval said. On Monday, Maneval and the manager of Black Diamond, Tom Elison, asked the landlord to consider allowing the store to remain open for another week.
The reason was because of the customers who love the business and the thousands of items there and to give the vendors time to continue to sell their merchandise so they would have less inventory to move, Maneval said. The change of date was granted. The letter also said those who have paid their rent will receive a pro-rated refund.
“We apologize that this course of action needs to be taken,” the letter said.
Maneval said eight people work at the store, one full-time and seven part-time employees.
“We are extremely heartbroken to lose Black Diamond and the extremely dedicated staff,” she said.
She did not have additional information if the employees will be eligible for any financial assistance.
Blum’s Auction Service next door will not be closing.
“This does not affect Blum’s at all,” Maneval said.
Black Diamond is located in a 50,000-square-foot space while Blums occupies 35,000-square feet of the original 85,000 square-feet of the former Hess’s store. Black Diamond’s first location was Sugarman’s, then at its current site, then where Dunham’s Sports is now located and back to the current location, Maneval said.
Elison, who has been a manager at Black Diamond for 13 or 14 years, confirmed the store will close. He said the employees will be working until June 1 or possibly later. He said people will miss the store. Some of the vendors are from as far away as South Carolina. Some are from New York, but most are from Pennsylvania, he said.
He told the employees about the closure Friday.
Mary K. Schreffler, 65, of Mechanicsville, received a hug from one of the dealers Tuesday.
“This is the hardest part, seeing the dealers I have to say goodbye to,” she said.
Schreffler, a cashier, has worked at Black Diamond for 18 years. She likes her job and the people she meets.
“Hopefully, I can find another job,” she said.
Melissa Keim, 45, and her daughter, Alexis Keim, 22, of Barnesville, said they enjoy shopping at the store. They said the closure is sad. They were there Tuesday to look for furniture for Alexis.
“It’s kind of like a museum,” Alexis said.
Elison agreed.
“It’s like walking through time,” he said.
Hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.