Students wishing to grab a bite to eat at the Charleston Blimpie’s will need to face reality. The doors at 430 Lincoln Ave. have closed indefinitely.

Storeowner Jeff Oetting, a business professor, said his business of two years “was struggling.”

“The food business is tough to survive in,” said Mayor John Inyart. “Competition is fierce, and we had some new players in town with roughly the same number of mouths to feed.”

The closing came as a surprise to many, especially with the recent closing of La Bamba’s, another popular restaurant.

“It’s hard to bring a franchise to a town like Charleston,” said Jim Wood, real estate agent for the Blimpie’s property. “It’s a small town and a small market,” he said.

Blimpie’s has company, with La Bamba’s and Judy’s Hallmark also recently closed.

“I think it’s an unfortunate coincidence,” said Cindy Titus, executive director of the Charleston Area Chamber of Commerce.

There is no reason that Blimpie’s, La Bamba’s and Judy’s Hallmark are closing, Titus said.

“I don’t think there’s a trend, but there’s no doubting 2006 was a rough year.”

With the falling American dollar, it’s harder for businesses to get the same amount of customers they used to with relatively the same number of students, Titus said.

The Blimpie’s was a member of the Chamber of Commerce for roughly 10 years, Titus said.

She said that the entire community is “getting squeezed” with the current state of the economy, but adds, “I think it (will) level off, but we may end up with a loss of businesses in town.”

Bob Kincade owns What’s Cookin’, a city staple for close to 27 years.

Kincade said that business closings are part of “a normal evolution of restaurants. It’s the nature of the business.”

Catering to the needs of the customers is key in maintaining staying power in a city as competitive as Charleston, Kincade said.

Unfortunately, Oetting said, the store will probably not re-open any time soon. Titus knows this is the worst consequence of the business model in Charleston.

“The restaurant business is the toughest business to be in,” he said. “Everyone’s going after the same dollars in the same town.”

Senior at Charleston High School Kenzie Keefer prepares a Philly Cheesesteak sandwich Sunday afternoon at Joey’s. (Amir Prellberg/The Daily Eastern News)

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