Hallmark Store Latest To Leave Sacramento's Country Club Plaza

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Country Club Plaza is seeing another business close its doors as the Hallmark Store is going out of business.

Friday saw the closing of Claire's, leaving the mall about 75 percent vacant. And that's before the Hallmark Store leaves after more than two decades.

"The mall is dead," said Toinette Sledge, who worked at the store for 24 years. "You can't keep doing business this way.

Four women we spoke to say they've worked side-by-side for more than 20 years.

"It used to be a million-dollar store," she said. "Now it's not even three-quarters of that."

On Tuesday, their decades of work will be over, because the store is finally closing up shop. After that, Sledge won't see her friends and coworkers every day.

"I'm devastated," she said. "But you got to keep a smile on your face."

It's an emotional time for a store that Sledge says used to be the community's store.

Shopper Jacki Lease says she's sad to see it go, but isn't surprised because of how things have been going with the mall.

"Every time I come, another store is closing," she said.

The mall has tried to do things to draw people in, such as having a farmers market. But on a Saturday, it's clear people aren't coming.

The Hallmark Store is planning an open house on Tuesday to thank their customers for supporting them.