The Shoe Box will close its doors in the coming weeks after concluding blowout sales that began in mid-December.

The Shoe Box, best known for its wide selection of Ugg boots and New Balance shoes, has become a downtown staple since Almy and the late Gilbert Levy founded the shop in 1970. In 1993, Charlie Biddle purchased the store from Levy, who remained in State College to help around the store before retiring to Florida a few years later. At the time, The Shoe Box in State College was Biddle’s second store; over the past twenty-odd years, Biddle continued to grow his business, and now owns ten stores altogether.

Biddle cites sales as his reason for deciding to close the store. “I love State College,” Biddle told the Centre Daily Times, “but it’s a business decision. When the numbers don’t work for five to ten more years, you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do.”

“The Shoe Box in State College has been a good thing,” Biddle said. “Just because [The Shoe Box is] closing doesn’t mean we didn’t enjoy all of our time here. We loved it here and all of the people here.”