“Zellers has decided not to operate most of its remaining stores beyond 2013,” Bourre said. “We are considering options for certain locations, which would mean certain stores would stay open for the foreseeable future, but this would be determined at a later date.”

The news, however, is far worse for the Fort Erie Zellers, located inside the struggling County Fair Mall as it will close before the end of the year.

“That store is scheduled to close Dec. 17,” Bourre said.

The company doesn’t release specific employee counts, but Bourre said all Zellers have an average of 100 employees.

Managers at both the Fort Erie and Niagara Falls Zellers locations wouldn’t comment Thursday afternoon, referring all questions to Bourre at HBC’s head office.

Customers were disappointed to hear the news.

“There’s nothing in Fort Erie,” said Margelaine Langlois- Bell, who is from Fort Erie, but was heading into the Niagara Falls Zellers Thursday. “It’s a horrible thing. It’s sad for the workers. There are no jobs anywhere.”

Langlois- Bell said she has been trying to support the Canadian-owned franchise.

“Zellers is the for- gotten store. The Americans are taking over here. It’s a bad thing to see.”

The pharmacies at both Zellers stores have already closed.

In Niagara Falls, the pharmacy side of the business was sold to the Zehrs pharmacy at the corner of Morrison St. and Dorchester Rd. June 21. In Fort Erie, the pharmacy business was sold to Drugstore Pharmacy inside the No Frills at 1135 Thompson Rd. April 30.

Bourre said the pharmacy business was sold well before the store closings to ensure customers were never left without their prescriptions.

“Zellers Pharmacy has a legal obligation to ensure continuity of care for its customers. The transfer ensures there’s never a disruption to access to prescrip- tion medication or pharmacy assistance,” she said. dan.dakin@sunmedia.ca Twitter: @dandakinreview