Sports Authority to close this summer

The Coeur d’Alene Sports Authority store located in the Silver Lake Mall is set to close this summer. Store manager Christina Pullins said Tuesday the company’s liquidation plan is still being decided, but the closure is expected to occur sometime in August.

According to the Associated Press, Sports Authority filed for bankruptcy protection three months ago and is closing all 460 of its stores after it was unable to adapt to consumers’ move online.

Initially, only about 140 stores were intended to be closed, but a court document last week outlined plans to shutter all of them. The Englewood, Colo.-based company said it will begin discounting sneakers, clothing and other goods next week until the end of August.

Sports Authority’s decline is attributed to shoppers’ increasing tendency to shop online instead of at their local malls. Pullins, who has been with the company for 20 years, said it’s very sad to see a once-great company having to close its doors.

The Coeur d’Alene store moved into its location in the Silver Lake Mall in 2013.

One positive aspect of the lengthy liquidation process is that employees have enough time to look for new jobs. Pullins said the official closing date for the Coeur d’Alene store will be determined in the coming weeks.