Overview

• Closure takes effect today, July 31, as staff begin packing up and preparing the store for an extensive overhaul
• Cashiers confirm the renovation will last around five months in a bid to modernize the 48-year-old, one-stop shopping landmark
• Management cites competitive pressures from e-commerce as a key driver behind the decision to update the traditional brick-and-mortar format
• Banners on the mezzanine floor redirect customers to temporary setups for apparel and photography services during the renovation
• Long-time patrons express doubt that the vast space can be fully reconfigured and reopened on schedule