Cape Girardeau RadioShack to close

Cape Girardeau's RadioShack is closing its doors as the nationwide company recently filed for bankruptcy.

The store is in West Park Mall's west wing. On Monday, the electronics retailer had a liquidation sale in progress at the mall with a sign out front indicating the store is in its last seven days of business.

RadioShack is one of the mall's original tenants. It opened in 1981.

The closing of the local store is one of nearly 1,800 throughout the country the RadioShack company is planning through March 31, the Associated Press recently reported. Five other Missouri stores on the company's "potential closure list" as of Monday were in Chesterfield, Columbia, Springfield and St. Louis.

The RadioShack company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last week, citing continuing losses in revenue. Through a deal with a shareholder company, Standard General, some RadioShack stores may become "mini-shops" of the wireless carrier Sprint, the Associated Press reported.

A manager of the local RadioShack reached by phone Monday declined to comment on the closing plan for the store, which has four employees.

West Park Mall recently lost two other retailers, both of which were teen-centric clothing stores. Wet Seal and Aeropostale closed in January. Both stores' parent companies also are struggling with slumps in national sales.

The mall is gaining one new store -- a Maurice's is set to open in April, a district manager for the women's clothing retailer recently said. Maurice's also has stores in Perryville and Poplar Bluff, Missouri.

eragan@semissourian.com

388-3632

Pertinent address:

3049 William St., Cape Girardeau, MO