Smith's Parish consignment store Bears Repeating will close on September 30 - because there is no suitable retail space available on the Island.

The store has been in the Marshall Building on South Shore Road, near Collectors Hill since opening five and a half years ago. But the landlord of the building has given notice to his tenant that the space must be vacated to make way for a new venture, Mr. Chicken.

And despite running advertisements over the past several weeks looking for space to rent, Bears Repeating owner Lorene Gibson said she has not received a single call offering her space.

Mrs. Gibson told The Royal Gazette she had no wish to close the successful store which specialises in children's clothing and accessories, but would be forced to do so as there was no space to be found.

She said she had received one call from a lady who was willing to share space if she found somewhere that was too big, but this never materialised.

The only other offer was for a space in town that was not ideal, and far too expensive.

Mrs. Gibson said she had to tell her customers that she would stop taking clothes on consignment as she had to start reducing her stock in preparation for closure.

She also said her customers were very disappointed, and as a result of less stock and the threat of closure, business was suffering.

The space currently occupied by Bears Repeating is 1,500 square feet, and Mrs. Gibson said she would ideally like to be situated out of town where there was good parking.

The store employs one person full time as well as part time students on weekends and busy periods.