Retailer says city, economy forcing St. John's store to close

Another business in downtown St. John's is closing its doors, with blame being laid on a troubled economy and a spike in municipal taxes.

Frank Fagan, one of the owners of Junk on Water Street, says the small store simply is not sustainable and will soon close.

"You have to be sensible enough to know when to leave the party," said Fagan.

He opened the shop with his husband three years ago, and said the opening marked a dream come true.

The store sold a little bit of everything: clothes, candles, clutches and cushions, and Fagan said that's why he and the shop's other owners decided to name the store Junk.

With the state of the provincial economy, a rise in taxes and rent, and the upcoming Water Street dig to replace century-old water and sewer infrastructure, Fagan said he wasn't optimistic about the store's future.

"We had just come to a point where we were looking at the lease renewal, looking at the next three years and then we had to take into consideration other factors," he said.

He told CBC News that downtown shops are being pushed out, and large chains are taking over.

If the City of St. John's wants to end this trend, Fagan said they must change their attitude towards small businesses.

Junk will shut its doors for good in June.