Outlet Stores

Blue Ridge Outlet Center losing stores [ The outlet stores ] MARTINSBURG, W.Va. - Billboards for the Blue Ridge Outlet Center in Martinsburg boast more than 50 stores inside the shopping complex. A walk through the three buildings that make up Blue Ridge tells a different story. [cont. from front page ] Several stores have closed since late November, leaving the outlet mall at Stephen and Raleigh streets with 32 shops, including a candy store across the street.

Liz Claiborne Inc. will close its outlet stores in the United States and Puerto Rico by early 2011, the company said in a press release. The Liz Claiborne store at Prime Outlets at Hagerstown was not mentioned specifically, but the release said all 87 outlet locations would close. With the closing of the outlet stores, Liz Claiborne will launch its clothing line at J.C. Penney next month, the release said. "As a result of this decision, the company expects the meaningful operating losses related to this business to be eliminated in early 2011 when this action is anticipated to be completed," the release said.

Physician charged with 38 counts of health care fraud Monster fun Liz Claiborne to close outlet stores Justin D. Hudson, 13 Washington Co. remains under heat advisory

More than 150 people recently attended a North American conference in Hagerstown, an event that has attracted people from the United Kingdom, Australia and Bermuda. The Review and Herald Publishing Association and Pacific Press hosted the Feb. 19-23 conference in Washington County for managers and assistant managers of Adventist Book Centers. The Review and Herald's Daniel Wegh said attendees participated in seminars and plant tours of the Review and Herald Publishing facility.

Seventeen outlet stores were open as of Tuesday at Prime Outlets at Hagerstown: American Outpost Carter's Childrenswear Casual Corner Outlet Casual Corner Woman Outlet Claire's Accessories Gap Outlet Jockey London Fog Nike Factory Store Petite Sophisticate Outlet Rack Room Shoes Reebok Factory Direct Store Rockport Factory Direct Store...

Outlet shopper Karen Wisentamer says outlet centers are full of bargains - if you know how to find them. "You have to know how to shop and you have to know quality," said Wisentamer, 44, of McLean, Va., on a break from a recent shopping trip at Blue Ridge Outlet Center in Martinsburg, W.Va. Her best advice: be patient and go with a specific purchase in mind. "Don't buy on impulse," she said. When Prime Outlets at Hagerstown opens its first 60 stores on Aug. 7, some local shoppers may be introduced to the outlet experience for the first time.

By DAN KULIN / Staff Writer photo: RICHARD T. MEAGHER / staff photographer HALFWAY - The Windmill Shop, a women's clothing store here, will close at the end of the year, and the owner blames competition from a new outlet mall for taking away many of her customers. "As soon as it opened, my business cut by 50 percent," shop owner Debbie Hoffman. Prime Retail at Hagerstown outlet mall, which is about four miles from The Windmill Shop at 17220 Virginia Ave., held a grand opening in August.

Hostess Brands, the company behind confections such as Twinkies and Ding Dongs, announced Friday that they would be going out of business. In Hagerstown, which has a Hostess bakery outlet and distribution center on the National Pike, about 18 employees likely will lose their jobs, a manager said. Nationwide, 18,500 employees will lose their jobs, according to the company. Hostess said employees at its 33 factories were sent home and operations suspended Friday. Its roughly 500 bakery outlet stores will stay open for several days to sell remaining products.

Thieves target area malls, outlet stores Four times this week, thieves working in groups targeted merchants and their employees in area malls and outlet stores, said Investigator Greg Alton of the Washington County Sheriff's Department. "There were two incidents on Monday and two on Tuesday," Alton said. In each case, a group of people entered the store and, while some of them distracted clerks, others would go behind the counter or into back rooms and take wallets out of employees' purses, Alton said.

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. - One of Martinsburg's most well-known attractions has faded into history. After 16 years of attracting shoppers with more than 50 outlet stores set in an attractive backdrop of restored woolen mills, the Blue Ridge Outlet Center has closed. Moncure Chatfield-Taylor, owner of the complex, is often praised for his vision of turning the three buildings that once housed the woolen mills built between 1900 and 1930 into outlet stores. The buildings were basically ready for the "bulldozer," according to Mayor Earnest L. Sparks, but Chatfield-Taylor saw something different.

Police apprehended a Hagerstown man in a dressing room in the Eddie Bauer store and caught another Hagerstown man near the Timberland store in the Hagerstown Premium Outlets Monday afternoon following a robbery at the Washington County Teachers Federal Credit Union on Virginia Avenue. Police swarmed the outlets when Joshua Andre Lockley and Cruz Daniel Maldonado were apprehended, and people who were shopping at the time stopped and watched the situation unfold. Lockley, 28, of 424 N. Locust St., and Maldonado, 21, of 398 Bryan Place, were being held in the county's central booking facility Monday night waiting to see a district commissioner, a spokeswoman said.

Hostess Brands, the company behind confections such as Twinkies and Ding Dongs, announced Friday that they would be going out of business. In Hagerstown, which has a Hostess bakery outlet and distribution center on the National Pike, about 18 employees likely will lose their jobs, a manager said. Nationwide, 18,500 employees will lose their jobs, according to the company. Hostess said employees at its 33 factories were sent home and operations suspended Friday. Its roughly 500 bakery outlet stores will stay open for several days to sell remaining products.

Outdoor equipment and apparel retailer L.L.Bean will close its Hagerstown outlet store on April 30, a spokeswoman said. Public Affairs Manager Carolyn Beem said the company will close the store at Hagerstown Premium Outlets after 10 years of operation despite a successful year companywide. “Closing a store is never an easy decision to make,” she said. “Based on a number of factors it was decided to close this store.” Beem said L.L.Bean is not planning to close any other outlet or retail stores in connection with the Hagerstown closure.

Physician charged with 38 counts of health care fraud Monster fun Liz Claiborne to close outlet stores Justin D. Hudson, 13 Washington Co. remains under heat advisory

Liz Claiborne Inc. will close its outlet stores in the United States and Puerto Rico by early 2011, the company said in a press release. The Liz Claiborne store at Prime Outlets at Hagerstown was not mentioned specifically, but the release said all 87 outlet locations would close. With the closing of the outlet stores, Liz Claiborne will launch its clothing line at J.C. Penney next month, the release said. "As a result of this decision, the company expects the meaningful operating losses related to this business to be eliminated in early 2011 when this action is anticipated to be completed," the release said.

More than 150 people recently attended a North American conference in Hagerstown, an event that has attracted people from the United Kingdom, Australia and Bermuda. The Review and Herald Publishing Association and Pacific Press hosted the Feb. 19-23 conference in Washington County for managers and assistant managers of Adventist Book Centers. The Review and Herald's Daniel Wegh said attendees participated in seminars and plant tours of the Review and Herald Publishing facility.

Washington County Sheriff's Office deputies were unable to find a man they say robbed a Prime Outlets Hagerstown store Wednesday evening, according to deputies. The man robbed Little Me, a children's clothing store, using a weapon shortly before 7 p.m. and took cash from the store, deputies said. Deputies would not say how much money was taken and had only a vague description of the assailant. They declined to say what type of weapon was used. A Maryland State Police helicopter and K-9 units were called to the scene to assist with the search, deputies said.

chambersburg@herald-mail.com CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. - Pushing a cart through the aisles of U.S. Factory Outlets Thursday brought back a lot of memories for Mary Bigler. "It's my old stomping grounds because I worked for Ames for many years," Bigler said as she picked out doilies, undergarments and other items. In another part of the store, Elsie Mayhugh found the tiny paper umbrellas she needed for her daughter Karah's Hawaiian theme birthday party. "It's nice to have something at this end of town," she said.

Thieves target area malls, outlet stores Four times this week, thieves working in groups targeted merchants and their employees in area malls and outlet stores, said Investigator Greg Alton of the Washington County Sheriff's Department. "There were two incidents on Monday and two on Tuesday," Alton said. In each case, a group of people entered the store and, while some of them distracted clerks, others would go behind the counter or into back rooms and take wallets out of employees' purses, Alton said.