SAINT CLAIR, Pa. -- Flooding closed down several stores near Pottsville for the majority of the week with no end in sight for shoppers in Schuylkill County.
Cars were turned away as part of the Coal Creek Commerce Center in Schuylkill County remains closed.
Instead of customers, orange cones and yellow tape marked off all entrances of the parking lot along Route 61 in Saint Clair.
Justin Geleskie and David Wolfe were looking to grab a bite to eat after traveling up from Philadelphia.
"We stop at Vito's whenever we can. The food is great and the people are really nice and we came up and saw it was closed," Geleskie said.
Those who spoke with Newswatch 16 say the area has been closed from this week's flooding.
Saint Clair borough officials say the stores were built over a mine stripping hole.
The owner of the plaza didn't get back to us but did speak with the Pottsville Republican Herald newspaper and voiced concerns of water rising in the mine pool underneath the stores. He told the paper he wants to make sure the stores are structurally sound.
"The pretzel place, the cigarette place, even Sophy Jewelry, they do a good business during the week. It is always a lot of cars there. Gamestop, I go there occasionally," Cindy Smith of Pottsville said.
Those who haven't been able to shop at the 10 stores in the complex are hoping that the Coal Creek Commerce Center opens up soon.
"Especially in this area, there is not much, so when you do see it is closed, it is a shame," Geleskie added.
"Those little shops in there are some of the places that people look for and some of the services people need. We were kind of surprised to see it closed," David Wolfe said.
There is no word yet from the owner on when this part of the Coal Creek Plaza would reopen.