GameStop closes Dixon store: More turnover coming to Presidential Parkway Plaza

DIXON – It’s game over for GameStop in Presidential Parkway Plaza near Walmart.

The video game and electronics retailer opened up at 218 Keul Road around 6 years ago and packed up and shuttered the store last week.

GameStop, which also has a store in Pine Tree Plaza at 4311 E. Lincolnway in Sterling, has more than $800 million in bond debt and has been battling with the trend across the past few years of gamers streaming and downloading games online, rather than buying discs at brick-and-mortar locations.

The Texas-based company announced plans to close around 150 locations in 2017 and recently inked a deal to sell its Spring Mobile business, which owns and operates 1,284 AT&T wireless stores, for $700 million.

It’s the second store this month to close its doors in the shopping center; Hibbett Sports closed at the start of the year at its 1620 Miller St. location, where it opened in 2013.

A note was left on the door of the sporting goods store expressing the staff’s honor to have served their local customers, and directed them to its Clinton, Iowa, location.

Its corporate headquarters in Alabama recently shut down 24 under-performing stores and expects to close an additional 82 outlets this year.

Hibbett’s former spot will be filled by Shoe Sensation, which is expected to open in March.

The national shoe chain also has a store in Sterling’s Northland Mall, 2900 E. Lincolnway.