by Matt Marquardt –
MASON CITY – Kephart’s Music is closing its doors. Saturday was the store’s last day, according to store employee Tim Hanson. Some shoppers were informed of the store’s closing on Saturday and alerted NIT.
In a phone interview, Hanson said that the big box stores and their low prices had really cut into the store’s business, as well as competition from internet sites offering very low prices and sometimes even free shipping.
Hanson said he has been an employee at Kephart’s Music, located at 2440 4th Street Southwest, for one and a half years. His main duties were guitar repair and other sales duties.
Kephart’s has locations in Decorah and Dubuque as well. Hanson said he wasn’t sure how those stores were doing but theorized that due to the larger college population in those towns that they were in better shape.
“The store slowed down over time,” he said.
“We just found out on Tuesday,” that the store was going to close, Hanson explained. “The landlord has decided to double the rent, so the store is going to close.”
Hanson said that the store will begin being cleaned out on Monday.
Competition from big box stores, the internet, and landlord issues were some of the same reasons offered by Feathers N More store owner Penny Plagge when she announced the closing of her Pet Store last May. Her store will be closed up by the end of June.
Everyone is so worried about the city bailing out all these stores. They should have went and shopped at them instead of walmart. The city can’t just throw money at every failing business. Resturants, bars, and retail business close because they are not profitable not because of the city counsel, the hospital, or the police presence.
Shop local or shut up. Also, don’t complain when your taxes go up because of a shrinking tax base.
What the city did with Harley wasn’t a bail out it was a bribe to stay in their curent location, they were never in danger of closing. Which business in danger of closing was bailed out?
WILL THE LAST BUSINESS LEAVING TOWN PLEASE TURN OUT THE LIGHT…THANK YOU!
…”Feathers/Kepharts”…two more businesses die due to city policies to help only the selected few businesses..what a joke. Suzi Q, Hootenanny Inc and other suffer and are treated terribly..and they’re want to bring businesses here..
I hope our fairgrounds welcomes Hootenanny better then our town did!!!!
It’s sad to see a local store closing. Too bad the city didn’t do something to help them out.
Matt, any follow up for us customers who rented instruments from them? We rent one from them for our son, and actually brought it back for repair and we have a loaner.
Good morning John. That is a great question. They are cleaning out the store on Monday so I think time is short. Thanks for the point on that one, let me see what I can find out.
This raises a few flags. One of which, why is rent going up? I supposed one could be sarcastic, and ask why the City did not offer them funds the same way they did for Harley Davidson and others.
But let’s stick to reality here. Wages for jobs locally are being pressured in a downward direction. As more jobs go away, the employer has the advantage, and can demand what he wishes. Jobs that did pay better have gone away without being replaced.
If this trend continues, it will errode our tax base further. This means of course, in order to cover basic costs, you will have to pay more.
Do the math.
Fair question I believe. The city’s policy of helping some and ignoring others is ludicrous. I think it could be considered corruption. There needs to be a process in place at City Hall, a fair process where any business owner can apply for assistance. The City, EDC, Chamber, whoever may then select the qualified applicants / risks if they so choose, and apply TIF, loans, grants, whatever is in their “tool belt.” The bookroom deals and country club drink special schmoozing has to cease.
I think you will see more of this over the summer,most are just barely making it by.No new jobs places close.
Wow, another one. No end to store closings in this town.