From multiple closures brought about by the pandemic to safety nets in the form of CARES Act and Paycheck Protection Program dollars, the challenges were many.

Here’s a look at the biggest business stories in Warren County this year.

BLAIR FILES FOR BANKRUPTCY

Blair LLC, its parent company, and numerous other subsidiaries, filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy in March.

Times Observer photo by Josh Cotton The Irvine Distribution Center is set to close by April 2021. Blair LLC filed for bankruptcy back in March.

The first-day hearing regarding the bankruptcy filing by Bluestem Brands, Blair, three other Bluestem entities, three Orchard Brands entities, and 10 other affiliated companies occurred in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Delaware, according to court documents.

Bluestem said at the time that there were no immediate changes expected to operations in Warren and Irvine in the wake of the filing.

“Bluestem will continue conducting business in the ordinary course,”Bluestem Account Supervisor Leah Kondes said. “No immediate changes are anticipated, but to the extent things change we will communicate as appropriate.”

Documents indicate that the companies are moving into a court-supervised sale.

The debtors — the 18 companies in the filing — had negotiated to become debtors in possession.

They were working together in that capacity and will fund ongoing operations during the bankruptcy process, according to a separate court filing.

The debtors in possession were committed to providing up to $125 million to “fund the ongoing operations during these chapter 11 cases and thereby preserve the value of the debtor’s assets.” That will “provide a clear, strong message… that operations are appropriately funded and the bankruptcy filing will not materially impact the debtors’ operations…” and show “that the debtors are able to continue meeting the needs of their customers, compensating their employees, paying their vendors, and otherwise managing their businesses as close to the ordinary course as possibly.”

That bankruptcy, though, led to the most devastating business news in the county in 2020.

IRVINE DISTRIBUTION CENTER TO CLOSE

Employees at the Irvine Distribution Center were notified in November that operations are closing and moving to Georgia by the end of April.

“Positions at the IDC will be eliminated,” according to a letter dated Nov. 9 sent to employees from BLST Operating Company. BLST acquired Bluestem Brands, the parent company of Blair, in August. “We anticipate termination dates will begin in March 2021.”

“This was a difficult decision based on reduced inventory levels years in the making and an expensive lease with limited options,” according to the letter.

“Upon receipt of this announcement, the WCCBI immediately contacted the state’s Rapid Response Team,”

Jim Decker, president/CEO of the Warren County Chamber of Business & Industry, said. “This team is responsible for all large-scale layoffs and business closures within the Commonwealth,”assisting with unemployment services, displaced worker training and assistance programs.

Meetings with employees are expected to commence in early 2021 “to ensure that all services available to these individuals, totaling approximately 300, are efficiently delivered.”

“The closure of this facility is devastating to all involved and to this community,” Decker said. “The primary focus of the WCCBI is to ensure that the workers being displaced receive every service and benefit they deserve in a timely manner.

“We will continue to pursue every opportunity to repurpose this property as a key economic driver for Warren County.”

LONG-TIME RETAILER CLOSES

Valu Home Centers announced in January its intent to close its Warren location among three “underperforming locations.”

“As a result of changes in the retail industry, Valu Home Centers is refocusing resources towards its online platform and closing three underperforming locations,” according to Valu Home Centers president and CEO, Michael Ervolina, Jr.

“Valu’s shift in strategy is similar to other regional and national retailers that are following changes in consumer buying habits where ‘buy online, pick up in store’ is becoming more popular,” Ervolina announced.

The three locations that will close include Olean, N.Y., Painted Post, N.Y., and the Warren location at 1945 Market St.

Valu is one of the region’s largest family-owned retailers — having been in Warren (North Warren) for approximately 25 years. It was previously Jamesway department store.

But it wasn’t all bad news.

One business celebrated 100 years while another family-owned business made a move to better serve its clients.

FRAILEY’S BARBER SHOP MOVES ACROSS TOWN

Jeff Frailey has been cutting hair for most of his life.

What’s even more interesting, he had done it since 1971 from the same place, Frailey’s Barber Shop at 200 Hickory Street in Warren. And that location — essentially a basement at the corner of Hickory St. and Pennsylvania Ave. — had been a barber shop for 140 years.

Now it’s a basement again.

Frailey — like his father before him — is still clipping away… only now it’s at 705 Conewango Ave.

“I think you’ll really like this new shop, no stairs and free parking,” Frailey posted on his Facebook page on March 2.

There are a lot of good memories from the 200 Hickory St. location.

“Working with my dad like I did was an awesome thing that not many get to do,” said Jeff. “We started working together in June of 1971 and he passed away in December of 2001. It was great for me in that I had a ready-made customer base that knew me from my involvement in high school sports and such, and I found out how close my customers followed sports when I was coaching Little League all-stars and they had felt part of it since they would hear about it every day.”

JONES CHREVOLET CELEBRATES 100 YEARS

One of the oldest single family-owned Chevrolet dealerships in the country turned 100 this year.

And it’s in Warren County.

What started as the Sheffield Garage selling Hupmobiles in 1918 turned Chevrolet dealer in 1920, Jones Chevrolet in Starbrick is celebrating its 100th anniversary.

And the word that may best describe that century? Survival.

“In a small community like this, there are so many times questioning ‘Are we going to make it?’ and we have,” Brent Jones, the current dealer principal, explained. “Here we are again in another challenging time. We are surviving it…. There’s a number of organizations and businesses that have been on the edge.

His grandfather – Lloyd Jones – started the business a century ago in Sheffield. One of 15 children – three boys and 12 girls – Jones and both of his brothers became car dealers in the region.

That 1918 garage started selling Hupmobiles from the Hupp Motor Car Company of Detroit and became a Chevrolet dealer two years later.

The business moved around Sheffield – once occupying the site of the current gas station – until a move into Warren where the Country Fair is located today on Pennsylvania Ave. E.

It’s no surprise that the industry has changed in the last 100 years.

“The biggest change has been the internet,” Jones said. “People used to come in and just start to shop…. Now, almost everybody does their homework online. Pricing is very, very competitive now.”