LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The announcement that the Pleasure Ridge Park Walmart will be closing next month has many people talking.
Both business owners and shoppers alike expressed their concerns with such a major retailer leaving the community.
"It's gonna be kind of devastating. But I think we are going to have to figure out what we'll do next," Eric Overton of Shively said.
Devastating, inconvenient. Some of the many words people are using to describe the closure of the Walmart near the Shively and Pleasure Ridge Park communities.
"It's a hardship on people like us, because you know, when you're retired or disabled, you know, you can't get out there and go five and 10 miles every day to a store or whatever," Dave Smith of Riverside Gardens said.
Walmart said in a statement the store will close Friday, April 22 due to historic and current financial performance.
Shoppers like Dave Smith say it feels as though their community is being forgotten.
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"We need it, we need it. I mean, you know, like I said, we barely make enough now in this neighborhood, because of jobs," Smith said.
Others echo, it's also the convenience factor of it all.
"We don't have a lot of time, we'll be going to three, four different places, you know, we have children," Overton said.
And with people coming in and out of Walmart all day, there are also other shops in the area for people to explore. So what do local businesses have to say about the closure?
"We're going to be here whether or not Walmart stays or goes. And we will adapt. And like I said, it leaves other opportunities for entrepreneurs here to bring something over here, this location," Stephen "Lucky" Probus, owner of Lucks Barber Shop, said.
Probus, better known as Lucky in the community, is the owner of a barbershop next to the Walmart. He says having a major retailer like that has been beneficial to his business.
"One of the things is that it does help provide the information to future clients as to going over their grocery shopping," Lucky said.
Lucky was born and raised in the area, so he says he doesn't want this breakup with the big-box retailer to leave a stain on the community.
"This community doesn't want to see dead space over there. It can be a real eyesore. I truly believe that someone will see the opportunity," Lucky said.
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