Uniontown outdoor store to close
Amanda Steen | Herald-Standard
Woodlands World, an outdoor store owned by the Hardy Magerko family and located in downtown Uniontown, will close after selling its remaining merchandise.
Amanda Steen | Herald-Standard
Ed Maurin, right, an archery lede, worked at Woodlands World for 10 years before recently learning the store would be closing after selling its remaining merchandise.
A business that has been a fixture in the downtown Uniontown community for nearly a decade plans to close its doors after selling its remaining merchandise.
Woodlands World outdoor store kicked off a liquidation sale late last week that will effectively put an end to the business’ Main Street presence.
Owned by 84 Lumber and Nemacolin Woodlands Resort owner Maggie Hardy Magerko, the 9,750-square-foot store was not as profitable as preferred, said 84 Lumber spokesperson Jeff Nobers.
“The bottom line of it is, when you assess any business, when you plan any business, you’re looking to generate a certain revenue, and Woodlands World has not done that in its recent history,” Nobers said.
“Given that and increasing competition in the market — not necessarily in downtown Uniontown but in the Uniontown area — it was a business decision to liquidate the merchandise and close the store,” he added.
Woodlands World has a “floating” closure date and will close when its merchandise is sold, Nobers said.
“If it takes three weeks or eight weeks — once we’re satisfied that we’ve moved the merchandise that’s movable, we’ll close,” said Nobers.
Nobers said Nemacolin Woodlands Resort has had conversations with Woodlands World employees about employment opportunities at the resort once the store has closed.
“The goal is to retain as many folks as possible in another position,” he said, “but there may not be positions available to match the skill sets of certain people.”
Josh Phelan, operations manager at Woodlands World, said the store employs 14 full-time and part-time workers.
The outdoor store carries a variety of hunting, fishing, archery and camping gear, as well as firearms. Phelan said The Shooting Academy at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort offers a limited selection of similar merchandise but does not carry hunting clothes and accessories.
Phelan said Tuesday the store had experienced a few recent months of slow business typical to the summer season.
Store employees were gearing up for a busy fall season that brings higher sales due to hunting season when they received word the store would close.
Woodlands World opened on the grounds of Nemacolin Woodlands Resort in Farmington in 2002 before relocating to 27 W. Main St. in Uniontown in 2006 to provide greater accessibility to the store.
At the time, the move was seen as a commitment to the revitalization of downtown Uniontown by the Hardy Magerko family.
The store’s former location at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort was converted into Lady Luck Casino at Nemacolin in 2013.