Century-old Ottawa store Dworkin Furs closing

A landmark store that has been serving Ottawa for more than a century, is closing.

Dworkin Furs on Rideau Street is currently clearing out its inventory and getting ready to shut down permanently.

While fur exports are up, fur sales in Canada are down.

Ian Lee, professor with the Sprott School of Business at Carleton University saidtheanti-fur campaign of groups like People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is greatly affecting fur sales in Canada, the U.S. and parts of Western Europe.

"[PETA] have made it less fashionableor less acceptable, I should sayto wear fur," Lee said. "You dont close your doors because youre making lots of moneyyou close your doors because you arent making money."

Fur out of fashion

Customer Diane Hoskins is saddened by the closure, but adds she often received stares from people who disapprove of the use of fur.

Hoskins said she had her mink coat dyed purple.

"That's exactly why I had my mink, which I got 30 years ago, done into something that wouldn't be recognizable," Hoskins said. "Nobody would think there were purple or mauve mink running around."

Dworkin Furs opened in 1901.

Management at the retailer would not comment on the closure.