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UPS IN ARMS
Franchisee refused 10-year deal with costly refit – now stores face closure
- Nawal Abdisamad
DELIVERY giant UPS has confirmed it will close three of its popular stores in just days — and warned that up to 75 more could be next in line.
The soon-to-close stores are in Dallas, Dickson City and Honesdale, all located in Northeast Pennsylvania.
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Longtime franchise owner Dave McQueen confirmed the news on Tuesday, but refused to give a reason, instead referring all questions to UPS’ public relations team.
Mia Gonzales, a spokeswoman for UPS, said: “We can confirm that The UPS Store locations in Dallas, Dickson City, and Honesdale are in the process of closing.”
She added the closures were “due to the expiration of the franchise agreements, and the franchisee has elected not to renew.”
The shutdowns come amid growing uncertainty for UPS customers, with the company having already announced in April it plans to cut around 20,000 corporate jobs and shut over 70 facilities in 2025, citing rising tariffs and economic pressure.
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The Dallas location, based at 62 Dallas Shopping Center, is set to close on 23 June, according to a staff member.
Workers at the Dickson City site on Main Street and Honesdale’s store on Texas Palmyra Highway declined to give a date.
McQueen, who also once ran several Pet Supplies Plus stores in the region, had reportedly been looking for a buyer for some time.
Despite his efforts, a recent deal is said to have collapsed due to financing issues.
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Rob Finlay, landlord of the Dallas site and CEO of Humford Equities, took to Facebook to shed more light.
He claimed the franchisee, McQueen, was asked to sign a 10-year renewal contract with costly refurbishments — a move the 84-year-old was “understandably unwilling” to make.
“He’s been seeking buyers for a couple of years, but a recent deal fell through due to financing,” Finlay said.
“Hopefully, a last-minute buyer can step in… I’ve had the pleasure of using the store myself, and I can attest to their great employees and service.”
Finlay added that UPS had been pressuring McQueen to either sign a long-term agreement or close.
In the meantime, he had been operating on a month-to-month lease while hoping for a buyer to take over.
“The Dallas store has been a great tenant and partner since 1994,” Finlay said.
“The owner has been a complete gentleman throughout this process, and I’m sorry for the employees who will be affected.”
Local reaction has been swift and emotional, with residents and small business owners sharing their dismay on social media.
One Facebook user said: “Loved the Dickson UPS when I had my small shop, they were amazing there and always so helpful!”
Another added: “Wow, sad to see them close.”
The closures are particularly painful for small businesses that rely on UPS Store services for shipping, printing, and mailboxes.
Unlike Access Points or basic drop-off boxes, full UPS Stores provide more comprehensive services and staffed support.
Other UPS Store locations in the region — including Edwardsville, Hazleton, Wyoming, Dunmore and Clarks Summit — will remain open for now.
However, customers are left wondering whether more closures will follow as UPS eyes significant cutbacks in 2025.
Despite Gonzales’ insistence that these closures are unrelated to corporate downsizing, the timing has raised eyebrows.
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UPS previously blamed “new or increased tariffs” and “economic conditions” for its dramatic cost-cutting plans announced earlier this year.
For now, residents of Northeast Pennsylvania are bracing for the loss of three long-standing shops, and hoping that someone steps in before the doors shut for good.
US braces for '45,000 store closures'
Some 45,000 bricks-and-mortar stores could close in the next five years, experts have warned.
Several major retailers have announced store closures or gone out of business altogether in recent years.
In 2023, chains such as Foot Locker announced plans to close up to 400 outlets by 2026.
While, other well-known retailers like Tuesday Morning and Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams filed for bankruptcy in 2023.
Bed Bath & Beyond has closed all of its brick-and-mortar stores and is now an online-only retailer.
The most affected retailers have been clothing, consumer electronics, sporting goods, hobby, book, music, and home furnishing stores since the start of 2019.
UBS has predicted the total number of retail stores will drop by 45k from 958k to 913k.
Despite that, the report says that certain stores should thrive while others decline.
It said retailers such as Walmart, Costco, Home Depot, and Target, could be among the winners.
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