A Familiar Duluth Storefront Is Now Empty and Closed

The trend of Downtown Duluth businesses closing continues, with another one deciding to shutter its doors after decades in operation.

A Continuing Struggle for Downtown Duluth

Like many downtown areas across the country, Downtown Duluth is struggling to keep businesses. A long list of spots has shut their doors over the last several years, and more are on the way. Valentini's, the Hallmark store, Subway, Black Water Lounge, and Wells Fargo have all closed or are closing soon in Downtown Duluth. A once busy center of activity has started to feel more like a ghost town after this latest shutdown.

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Snyders Convenience Store Says Goodbye

The latest closure is inside the Holiday Center. Snyders, a convenience store that stocked snacks, soda, and small gift items, closed yesterday. The windows were painted with a festive holiday theme after the closure.

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A look inside shows the store's shelves are empty, and the large refrigerated coolers that once filled the back of the store are gone. This leaves many downtown workers and hotel guests with fewer options for a quick snack or drink. For a part of the city that already struggles with foot traffic, one less grab-and-go spot creates an even bigger challenge.

A Growing Gap in Downtown Amenities

The Holiday Center is now home only to the Lyric restaurant and The Greenery Café and Bakery, both owned and operated by the adjoining hotel. Those two are likely to remain stable, but the closure of Snyders leaves another noticeable gap in the basic amenities that help bring people into Downtown Duluth.

This remains one of the city’s biggest priorities. Efforts to draw residents, workers, and visitors back downtown depend heavily on having businesses to support them. Each new closure makes that uphill climb even steeper, and this latest one adds to the growing concern about what the future of Downtown Duluth will look like.