After 20 years in operation, General Tool and Supply Company Limited is shuttering its doors, laying off 18 staff in the process.

The closure of the store was advertised on the weekend with the company offering up to 80 per cent discount on remaining stock.

The owner of the store, who wanted anonymity, said the final straw was the downturn in the economy, particularly the construction sector which his business depends on.

A trying experience

"It is a trying experience, it is something that one has to face with all the strength and fortitude that one has," he said, disclosing that the business has been experiencing decline in sales for some time.

The company, which operates from South Avenue in Kingston, sells mostly general supplies in the construction sector such as roofing, abrasives and sandpaper, knobs and pulls, among other things.

General Tool and Supply should close by month-end when the owner expects that all the stock would have been sold off.

The hardware business is the latest of several firms, many of them small, family-run operations, that either had to scale back or close down because of depleting sales.

Furniture and appliance store, Khemlani Mart, is also in the process of closing down a store in Tropical Plaza in St Andrew.

And Lerner Shops has also shuttered three stores recently, the latest in Ocho Rios, which it closed at the end of April after approximately two years in operation there.

Supermarkets closed

The company's manager said he was unavailable for an interview on the closures, which includes the Greater Portmore store in St Catherine and West Parade outlet in Kingston.

Last month, Super Plus also closed two of its supermarkets in St Andrew.

Some 89 members of staff were affected after the Liguanea and New Kingston branches were closed.

The Chens at the time attributed the closures to declining sales.

dionne.rose@gleanerjm.com