Ballistic latest business to close in downtown St. John's

Ballistic which has been selling skate and snowboarding gear in downtown St. John's for over two decades is closing for good in the new year.

Owner Lorne Loder saysthere isn't any one particular reason for the decision, but business has been "quiet" over the past couple of years and he's ready for a change.

"When you do any one thing for 21 years I think everybody looks at other options and considers change, so [it's]a combination of a couple of things really," Loder told CBC Radio's St. John's Morning Show.

The closure was announced on social media Tuesday night, and Loder said people are surprised and sad to see Ballistic go.

"It certainly is one of the staples downtown."

The real message here is for people to get out and support locally owned stores.- Lorne Loder

Loder opened the store in 1995 when there were a lot of commercial vacancies on Water Street, and a new wave of businesses started moving in.

In the 1990s people started movingaway from the malls, Loder said, and wanted to go back downtown, but that has been shifting again.

"People spend a lot more dollars online these days different mall stores and corporately owned stores," he said.

"So what I'd really like to say to people is get out, support the local economy, locally owned stores, and keep their money here."

Loder who ran for St. John's city council in 2013 and organized the Harbourage music and artsfestival saidhe's looking at a few ideas for the future, but hasno concrete plans just yet.

Ballisticwill remain open for the Christmas season, and will close for good in early January.