Jerri L. Uffelman, University Mall marketing director and acting mall manager, said stores have closed because of decisions on the corporate level.

Since Dec. 31, Bookland, Merry-Go-Round and Ups ‘N’ Downs have closed their stores in the University Mall, and the Earring Tree is scheduled to close in two weeks.

Any mall undergoes changes after Dec. 31, Uffelman said. If a company decides to make any changes, such as downsizing, they will wait until after the Christmas season.

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One such store making changes is the Earring Tree. Danna Roland, store manager, said she received a one-week notice that the Carbondale store would close.

This was a shock. The store was doing well, Roland said. They just called and said that they were closing all of their stores.

Ralph LoVuolo, CEO of the Earring Tree, said the entire company is being liquidated and sold. He said the company was pleased with the Carbondale location but said the sale and liquidation are causing a downsizing.

Roland said she has a 10-month-old baby and decided to sign up for classes at John A. Logan College as a result of being jobless. She said going to school is what she wanted to do a long time ago. She joked that maybe this would help her.

I put college off, and now this (the closing) has made me sign up, Roland said. I am majoring in accounting. Maybe I can prevent this in the future.

James S. Prowell, executive director of the Carbondale Chamber of Commerce, said while the University Mall does not wish to see stores leave, it is something the mall is prepared to deal with.

Mall occupancy was near 100 percent in December, and three stores closing is simply normal business practice, he said.

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Prowell said the mall has a good record when it comes to bringing in new stores.

When Venture made the decision to leave we went to work to bring in another department store, and we got K’s Merchandise, which has worked out well, Prowell said.