Another shop on Union Street will be closing its doors.
Honey, a lingerie and sex store, has announced its closure and is available for rent, Meredith Thompson, a co-owner of the store, said.
“It’s purely financial reasons, unfortunately,” she said.
The store, located at 13 W. Union St., was established two years ago and is not the only store on Union Street to announce its closure recently — Haffa’s Record Store will close at the end of September.
Thompson believes the construction on West Union Street had a “big impact” on the business.
West Union Street first underwent construction after a November 2014 fire torched a section of the block between Court and Congress streets and its buildings. The rebuilding took two years, and the reconstructed sidewalks were opened over the summer.
Other businesses along that stretch of roadway experienced a decrease in sales, according to a previous Post report.
Another contributing factor to Honey’s closure is the boost of online retail. Thompson said people often turn to the internet to purchase sex toys, but believes there is value in going to a store to buy such items.
“I think it really does help people who are unsure or even embarrassed to buy it online,” she said, noting that buying online leaves behind physical proof of purchase that can be traced to a credit card.
Thompson is hopeful another store like Honey will pop up in Athens because she thinks the niche store would benefit the area.
“It’s a shame,” she said. “We knew it was a risk to begin with, but I’m glad we tried.”
The owners could not be reached with a date for the closure as of press time.
