Business

AREA RETAILING

By Andrew M. Seder aseder@timesleader.com
Times Leader Staff Writer
Andrew M. Seder on Facebook   |   @TLAndrewSeder on Twitter

EDWARDSVILLE – The decorative tombstones spotted on many lawns this time of year will not read “Hallmark: Gateway Shopping Center 1972-2009.” And another one marking the death of the Hallmark store at the Midway Shopping Center also may have to go back into the attic.

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A Virginia Barbeque, the first in the state, will open by year’s end at the Gateway Shopping Center.

Clark Van Orden/The Times Leader

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The Hallmark store in Edwardsville is still in the process of clearing out its inventory, but a new smaller Hallmark store is expected to reopen in the same spot by November.

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Just a week after John Shoemaker announced he was retiring and closing both his stores, Chris Matus, owner of Matus Enterprises, announced he has signed a five-year-lease to reopen the national card and gift store at the Gateway Shopping Center in Edwardsville by November.

He will locate in the storefront that’s been operated by Shoemaker’s Hallmark store the past 37 years.

Matus, under the name The Heritage Shops, owns and operates 15 Hallmark stores in Northeastern Pennsylvania, including Dallas, the Wyoming Valley Mall and Wilkes-Barre Township.

Renovation work is under way at the Edwardsville store to reduce the current 6,300 square-foot space by about 20 percent. The excess will be leased as offices, said Liana M. Fisher, property manager for Amato Properties, which operates the center.

Matus, of Dallas, said he’s working to make sure the Midway Shopping Center in Wyoming also has a Hallmark for years to come.

“We are hopeful that details can be worked out to enable us to reopen that store by early November as well,” he said.

Matus said the future is bright for Hallmark stores, or else he wouldn’t be opening a new one, or two.

“We believe that we can build on Mr. Shoemaker’s accomplishments by remodeling both the interior and exterior of the store, and updating the product mix. ”

The Heritage Shops Hallmark won’t be the only store opening by year’s end at the Gateway Shopping Center. Two more long-vacant storefronts will get new tenants.

A Goodwill store in a portion of the former McCrory’s building will open in October. That location has been empty for at least five years.

And the first Virginia Barbeque franchise in Pennsylvania will open in mid-November in the spot formerly occupied by Gizmo’s, a gaming arcade.

Vince and Alison Splendido, of North Moreland Township, Wyoming County, have wanted to get into the restaurant business and earlier this year decided to find an eatery that didn’t exist in this area. Alison found Virginia Barbeque through some Internet searches and they moved forward with scouting locations. Vince said Dickson City, Wilkes-Barre, Dallas and Clarks Summit were considered before they opted for the Gateway Shopping Center.

The 1,800-square-foot location will employ 10 to 14 mostly part-timers and Alison Splendido will manage the restaurant. Vince Splendido said it was important to be up and running in time for the holiday shopping season and work is under way now, including installation of kitchen equipment.