Obies are going to have to look elsewhere for one pound bags of popcorn and Mary-Kate and Ashley memorabilia.
Ames Department Stores Inc. filed for bankruptcy last month and is preparing to close all 327 stores, including the Oberlin location — 46078 State Route 20.
“Continued softness in sales, combined with tightening terms and slower shipments from our suppliers, have reduced our funds availability below critical levels,” Ames Chairman and CEO Joseph R. Ettore wrote in a public letter in mid-August.
“What this means is that subject to the approval of the Bankruptcy Court, the company shortly expects to designate a liquidator to conduct ‘Going Out of Business’ sales at all Ames store locations. We anticipate that stores will remain open for approximately ten weeks during this process.”
In the meantime, Ames employees face a murky future.
“There’s always a concern when workers are displaced by a closing,” Oberlin Director of Planning and Zoning Gary Boyle said, “especially if it’s a fairly large retail outlet like this. Obviously it’s going to disrupt a lot of lives and families.
“There are other jobs in the area in things like retail, service and restaurants; but I don’t think it’s likely there are enough around here to absorb all those employees. I certainly hope they’ll be able to find something,” he added.
Although Ames employees have been instructed not to speak with the media, rumor has it some have already found new jobs and the management is said to be helping others in the search.
Ames headquarters could not be reached for comment.
Approximately 50 people work at the Oberlin location, according to the company website.
No severance package has yet been made public.
Those who work at the store aren’t the only ones to lose out.
The Oberlin News-Tribune reported that the store owes more than $25,000 in personal property taxes for this year and upwards of $35,000 in delinquent personal property taxes for last year, and that the city will probably lose around $12,000 in income taxes per year and $4,300 in property taxes.
The burden of lost tax revenue will fall on local schools and other city programs.
The future of the property itself also remains uncertain.
Although word has spread that Wal-Mart is moving in on the site, Executive of the Oberlin Chamber of Commerce Main Street Program Kate Reagan called such a development highly unlikely.

“[Companies like Wal-Mart] aren’t known for using existing buildings,” Reagan said. “They tend to construct their own big box structures.”

“The Ames building probably isn’t big enough,” she concluded.

“I’m not aware of anyone else who’s interested in the property,” Boyle said. “I think the present zoning would allow for a variety of different retail or service type uses, or a restaurant.”

“If somebody uses the existing building, they could open up very quickly,” he continued. “In six months or less.”