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Business Highs and Lows in Schuylkill County

SAINT CLAIR — People in Schuylkill County won’t be making too many more transactions at the National Penn Bank Branch at the Schuylkill Mall. Bank o...

SAINT CLAIR -- People in Schuylkill County won't be making too many more transactions at the National Penn Bank Branch at the Schuylkill Mall.

Bank officials announced the branch at the mall near Frackville will close this summer.

Customers said they were notified by mail.

"I got a letter that they're closing on June 29," said Vincent Wallace of Gilberton.

The bank isn't the only business to announce it's leaving the Schuylkill Mall.  Anchor store Sears closed earlier this year and Kmart plans to shut down by the fall.

People who shop there said there's not too much left inside.

"The place is dying out," said Wallace.

Business leaders in Schuylkill County said a few businesses leaving one mall doesn't reflect the bigger picture across the county.

"Only businesses that adapt to those changes with continue to succeed," said Robert Carl, the executive director of the Schuylkill County Chamber of Commerce.

People who live in the Pottsville area said that there are other places to shop like the Fairlane Village Mall or other shopping centers.

A chamber of commerce official said with the way the economy is, Schuylkill County is doing OK business-wise.

"It's very important for us to have businesses not only come here and stay here," said Carl.

Shoppers tell said they also like to come to places like the Coal Creek Commerce Center to shop, adding that it's busy and has a lot more options with big box stores.

"There's a lot more people going into Walmart, Home Depot," said Sherri Dorrell of Pottsville.

Dorrell runs this seasonal flower tent at the Coal Creek Center on Route 61 in Saint Clair.

She said people are always shopping here, which is good for her flower sale.

"They shop, look around, then they go out shopping and come back and get flowers."

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