Iconic women’s clothing retailer Susan J Fashions will be closing its doors permanently on August 30
SUSAN SHARPE, A 41-year veteran of the city’s retail community, has announced her retirement and subsequent closing of her retail store at 256 Oxford Street East. Referred to as The White House, the store housed Susan J Fashions and the Susan J Outlet.
According to a report in The London Free Press, the move to close shop was a coming together of many factors, including trends to more casual, inexpensive fashions and the impact of online shopping, however the coronavirus pandemic played a substantial role in the decision.
“It is time to make more time for me,” she told the Free Press. “This is really about many things, but COVID has been the straw that broke the camel’s back.”
Over her career, Sharp owned and operated seven retail locations, including the current location at Oxford and Richmond streets, two at Westmount Shopping Centre, one at White Oaks Mall, two in the former Galleria complex downtown and another in Tillsonburg. Five of the stores operated as Susan J, and two operated under the Mercedes Club banner, a casual clothing concept.
London Inc. Weekly: A summary of regional business news from the past week
Dispatch: A summary of recent business appointments and announcements, plus upcoming events for the week ahead
Libro Credit Union invests in the revitalization of Old East Village
No one wants to say it, but we’re probably in a small business recession
Price check: A sampling of high- and low-priced real estate listings around town this week
A summary of recent commercial real estate activity in London