Landmark Merra-Lee Shops closing in Geneva

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Updated: December 14, 2011 8:22AM

GENEVA — After 82 years, the Merra-Lee Shops in Geneva are closing.

Mike Simon, Merra-Lee Shops owner and co-owner of The Little Traveler in the city’s South Third Street historic shopping district, made the startling announcement to the Geneva Chamber of Commerce membership on Friday.

“Today marks the beginning of the last chapter in the life of the Merra-Lee Shops,” he said.

“ … The world changes, and while this marks the end of the Merra-Lee Shops, my commitment to Geneva runs deep,” Simon said in a prepared announcement he planned to send to his customer base.

The Merra-Lee Shops are five clothing stores at West State and South Third streets, recognizable by beautiful window displays. The shops are anchors of the downtown Geneva shopping district.

Simon said The Little Traveler continues to be strong, and he is looking forward to devoting his full attention to strengthening The Little Traveler, at South Third and Fulton streets.

The Little Traveler, a 36-room store in a Victorian house, is a Geneva landmark and a destination for shoppers throughout Illinois, as well as out-of-state tourists.

The Merra-Lee Shops include the Merra-Lee store itself at State and South Third streets, plus The Meeting Place, Boutique 15, The East Room and She She on the east side of South Third Street.

“I remember starting in the business at 8 years old washing the windows,” Simon told The Beacon-News Friday.

Simon followed in the footsteps of his late father Sol Simon, a founding partner of the original Merra-Lee Shops in 1929.

Simon told The Beacon-News his two young sons recently started washing the picture windows of the shops and caring for the window’s characteristic awnings.

“I am sorry that they are not going to be able to carry on the tradition,” Simon said.

Simon said the shop’s “going out of business” sale will start Nov. 16, but the stores have already closed while they prepare for the sale.

Simon said the Merra-Lee’s closing does not signal “a weakening in the uniqueness” of downtown Geneva. He said if it were not for the vibrancy and creativity of the many retail and restaurant neighbors and the work of the Geneva Chamber of Commerce, the shops would never have survived as long as they have.

Simon cited tough economic times in announcing the closing.

“Business has been fairly decent until this fall. We realized the time was right to close,” he said.

Simon said plans are to lease the storefronts to bring stronger tenants to the downtown.

He said his father taught him to “face facts and look to the future.” So if his father were looking down on him? “He would probably have thought why I did not do it a long time ago,” Simon said.

The announcement caught the Chamber of Commerce by surprise.

“I was surprised this morning to see the blast member-to-member email in our system,” said Jean Gaines, Geneva Chamber executive director.

“The shops have always had wonderful window displays and great customer service, but times are challenging. We have had a lot of businesses moving into Geneva this year, and with it being prime property I would guess it won’t be long before they are filled again,” Gaines said.

Gaines said the Merra-Lee Shops have been an anchor in Geneva.

“It is sad to see change, but we adapt and I am sure they made their decision for good reasons,” Gaines said.

The Merra-Lee Shops have more than $1 million invested in fall and winter inventory that will be liquidated, Simon said. The closing sale will begin Nov. 16, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., and continue through Nov. 20.