Here, the boutique located on the lower level of the Memorial Union on the Tempe campus, will be closing its doors for the last time Jan. 31.

The store, which opened its MU location in 2006, is the second business that has decided not to renew its lease with the MU in the past year.

STA Travel, which had occupied a space in the union since 2000, left its location last July.

Sharla Hartgraves, co-owner of Here, said the overhead of having two locations so close to each other is not as cost effective as operating out of one store.

“I suspect overall sales will be down, but overall operations costs will be down as well.” Hartgraves said.
Hartgraves said it was a give-and-take decision.

“By working out of one store, we’ll be able to keep our styles fresh like everyone expects them to be,” she added.

Zainab Ajmeri, an undeclared freshman and occasional customer of Here, said she wasn’t sure if she would shop at the store as frequently once the MU location is closed.

“It’s kind of sad because we’ll have to walk all the way to College and University,” Ajmeri said.

Here employees that work at the MU location will be able to stay with the company and work at the original location at University Drive and College Street.

“We are sad to see the business go, as they were a valuable part of the MU business community,” said MU marketing spokeswoman Eliza Robinson.

Robinson said the MU is exploring alternative businesses for the space that Here will be vacating.
Wells Fargo will be moving into the space formerly occupied by STA, she said.

But even as businesses on and around campus continue to permanently close their doors, some optimism remains.

Ajmeri said the loss of the MU location wouldn’t be detrimental if it meant the other location would improve.

“If they have a better store there [once this one is closed], it’s not that bad,” she said.

Reach the reporter at benjamin.weitzenkorn@asu.edu.