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Sports Authority Closure Not Fazing Stockton's Economic Plans

STOCKTON (CBS13) — Sports Authority in Stockton is closing its doors after the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy earlier this week.

The store in Park West Place is in a shopping center largely unaffected by the recession or the city's bankruptcy.

Waitress Nicole Ladiao works in one of the only small businesses inside Park West Place. The restaurant is surrounded by big box retailers. Across the parking lot, she says Sports Authority's closure doesn't give her much reason to worry.

"Our clientele is very loyal," she said. "All of our staff and mostly everybody who's been here has been here for a long time. I feel like we have a good team here."

Sports Authority customers like James Avery say they're surprised.

"Normally, I come by after picking him up from daycare and I haven't been by the last couple of weeks and now it's closed. It's kind of a big drag," he said.

Doug Wilhoit with the Stockton Chamber of Commerce says he's not concerned how one failed box store will impact the rest of the shopping center.

"People are talking about it. Of course it's system wide, not just Stockton. But that area in particular is going to be growing," he said.

There's actually not that much free space in the plaza. Joann Fabrics is moving from next door into a bigger store this summer. And tenants say they've heard a furniture store is moving in.

"Across the street you have Balvarian Motors being built, the Walmart was done, McDonald's out there. They'll find a tenant pretty quickly. The economy is coming back," he said.

The chamber of commerce says it's already given several Stockton tours to potential businesses over the past year, and six large retailers and good food keep shoppers coming back.

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