[comment caption=Is the Wall St mall hurting retailers?]Another central Dunedin retailer is to close and has taken a swipe at the DCC's Wall St mall plan as the tough economic climate continues to squeeze George St.
The Omni clothing store at 315 George St was running a closing down sale and would shut its doors for good "early next year", owner Norma O'Malley confirmed yesterday.
The store's two part-time staff had found other jobs, but she and co-owner Alfred Danielson were yet to finalise their plans, she said.
The pair had been running the store since its inception 10 years ago, and were looking forward to a change of direction, Ms O'Malley said.
"It's tough to be a retailer in this climate. After 10 years of being self-employed, we have had a gutsful."
She also criticised the Dunedin City Council for developing the $34 million Wall Street mall in George St, arguing it would bring in chain stores that robbed local stores of even more income in tough times.
"This is the cliff-face of globalisation," Ms O'Malley said.
Her comments mirrored those of G&T Young jewellery store director Roy Young, who last month also attacked the Wall Street development amid fears his 146-year-old family store could close.
Wall Street project manager Dave Mackenzie has rejected the claims, arguing the development would bring wider economic benefits to the city, including employment for contractors and up to 200 people in the mall's stores.
