City of Hermitage helping displaced mall businesses relocate
HERMITAGE, Pa. - Some local businesses are staying in the Shenango Valley after being displaced from the mall.
With the Shenango Valley Mall closing this month, businesses have started to vacate their storefronts.
Diann’s Sweets has moved their store to 2921 E State Street in Hermitage. They offer all kinds of treats covered in chocolate from pretzels to marshmallows to cake pops and gift trays. The store was located in the mall for four years. Brandi Huff, the daughter of the owner of Diann’s Sweets, said they had built a good customer base before they were told they had to move.
“We were very upset about it because we liked it with the traffic, walking traffic,” Huff said. “But [her mom] likes to stay in the city because she grew up here.”
Businesses like Diann’s Sweets are able to stay in the city because of the Displaced Business Assistance Policy passed by the Hermitage Board of Commissioners.
“We worked with them to identify properties and ease the burden of some of the costs associated with relocating,” Mark Longietti, the Director of Business and Community Development for the City of Hermitage said.
The city is covering up to $3,000 in moving costs for businesses displaced from the mall if they stay in the city for three years. Longietti has been helping some of those businesses find storefronts.
Unique Eyebrow just moved into the Corner Stone Plaza at 3553 E State Street next to the mall. They offer eyebrow threading, tinting and spa services. Owner Neha Shukla said her business has been in Hermitage for 12 years. She wanted to stay close for her customers.
“I’m from India. This is my skill and I want to sell my skill to the valley,” Shukla said.
Longietti said Kings Jewelry is also choosing to stay in the Shenango Valley and is currently renovating a store at 2220 E State Street to move into soon.
“The ones that have found a new location, I think they're happy,” Longietti said. “They’ve enjoyed the Hermitage and the Shenango Valley customer base and they wanted to stay here.”
Nine stores remain in the Shenango Valley mall. They all must vacate their space by the end of May. The mall will then be demolished and individual store fronts will be built in its place. The developers, Butterfli Holdings, said they have no date set for when that demolition will happen.
