Yesterday we wrote a post about what happens when Walmart leaves town. The empty, blighted shell of a huge building can be a strain on communities, and the longer it sits there, the worse it can get. But today, we see the closing of a store at a slightly different phase: right before it shuts down.

In New Britain, CT, Walmart rather abruptly decided to shut its store. It means that 162 jobs will be lost, and the Mayor is looking to help mitigate the situation. The article goes on to discuss the business:

“The building is still owned by Wal-Mart,” Stewart said. “They have to pay property taxes on it.”

The owners of that property are responsible for marketing the property, the mayor said.

Bill Carroll, business development coordinator for the City of New Britain, said he was disappointed in the abrupt way Wal-Mart handled the situation. Company officials dropped off paperwork about the store closing at the mayor’s office and left.

“We’re talking about 162 jobs and filling that space,” Carroll said. “It’s incumbent on owners of that building to hire someone to market the location. I’ll help any way I can. Aldi’s [food store chain] is nearby and they’ve been successful. Eventually, something will turn up.”

We're not so optimistic. As yesterday's post shows, Walmart isn't all that interested in dealing with vacant buildings, even if they still own them.

You can read the full article here.