T-R PHOTO BY SARA JORDAN-HEINTZ - Riddle’s Jewelry store, located within the Marshalltown Mall, is set to close its doors mid-February. Headquartered in Rapid City, S.D. the company was founded by Jesse Riddle in 1959. There are around 60 Riddle’s across nine Midwest states.

The Riddle’s Jewelry store at the Marshalltown Mall is set to close mid-February.

“Sadly we will be closing our Marshalltown, Iowa location … although we have given every effort to continue in your community,” President/CEO Brett Riddle said in a post card that was mailed to local customers. “We hope this closing does not cause you much inconvenience, however, please know that we will continue to provide all the same services you have come to expect at any of the nearby Riddle’s Jewelry in Waterloo, Ames, Coralville or Fort Dodge locations and (online).”

The store is currently running a sale to help clear inventory.

Boh Kurylo, executive vice president in charge of brokerage at the Lerner Company, the Omaha-based firm that manages the mall, said he was optimistic about the mall’s future.

The Lerner Company has been in long-term negotiations with two junior-box tenants he hopes to have moved into the mall at the beginning of 2019.

“These will be new to the market in Marshalltown, but we cannot reveal their names until the deals are finalized,” he said. “We are also wanting to keep some people who signed temporary leases (due to being relocated because of the July 19 tornado).”

Riddle’s closing is one of several retailers that have vacated the mall in the last year, including Younkers and Marshalltown-based businesses.

Kurylo said he was sorry to see Riddle’s go, but plans to find a new occupant for the soon-to-be vacated storefront.

“They were there long-term and we wanted to keep them, but they made the decision to let the store go — they said it was time,” he said. “We are looking to fill the space with somebody else, be it another jewelry store or something else.”

Headquartered in Rapid City, S.D. the company was founded by Jesse Riddle in 1959. There are about 60 Riddle’s across nine Midwest states.

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Contact Sara Jordan-Heintz at (641) 753-6611 or sjordan@timesrepublican.com