PENNSDALE, Pa. — According to Muncy Township officials, Dick's Sporting Goods at the Lycoming Mall will have a new home later this year. The retail sports store will be moving across the street to the Lycoming Crossing shopping plaza, where construction has already begun.
"The fact that they are leaving and they are a big part of this and why people come here, so when they leave, I feel like a lot of the other stores are going to be leaving that are a little bit bigger that keep the mall together are going to be gone too," said Raeann Roupp of Ogdensburg.
"The mall is definitely going to go downhill because I think Dick's is the heart of this mall right now, so it is sad, but at least it will be close," said Ashlynn Searer of Jersey Shore.
Dick's Sporting Goods joins a long list of stores that have already left the mall near Muncy. Old Navy is another anchor store at the mall that will be departing for Lycoming Crossing later this year.
"I am actually kind of upset about it because then I don't have anywhere to go. If stores go away, the mall will be out of business," said Kylynne Lundfelt of Renovo.
"A lot of stores are moving out, which kind of sucks, but they are going to places that are close, but it really sucks to see it all just go away," said Roupp.
Shoppers say it is depressing to see their favorite stores leave their local mall.
"It is sad because I don't want to shop online, but with everything going on, I kind of understand why everyone is getting out of the mall," said Searer.
Newswatch 16 contacted both the Lycoming Mall and Dick's Sportings Goods, but neither commented on the move. Officials with Muncy Township tell Newswatch 16 that the sporting goods store at Lycoming Crossing should open up around September. Until then, the one in the mall will remain open until further notice.