LIST GROWS: More businesses bite the dust

"It is just getting really, really slow in town. There's not the traffic of people that there used to be.”

Kim Theiss' Micky Mae main street store has been added to the growing list of businesses to close their doors in recent times. Picture: Matthew Purcell

SOMETHING like 93 per cent of small businesses fail within three years of opening, is the common belief.

Kim Theiss' Micky Mae store in the main street of Stanthorpe has befallen that exact fate - but its owner doesn't view it as a failure, rather a sign of the times.

After roughly four years she's set to close the doors on her clothing and haberdashery business on Friday, September 13.

"We'll be closing then and we're done.”

Drought, coupled with online shopping, haven't been kind.

"We've seen a decline in sales - especially over the last probably three to four months.

"Which has obviously been brought on by the drought and things like that,” Ms Theiss said.

Different trends have also made it hard to keep up.

"Basically it got to a point where we couldn't afford to buy in all the stuff we'd pre-ordered.

"So we had to cancel all that. With people buying during sales you only cover the costs of what you've paid for those items so that goes in to cover wages, rent or the next purchase.

"There's a lot of behind the scenes cost that the businesses face that I guess the general public don't know about.

"If you're only ever going into stores when there's a sale the stores can't pay their staff.”

Stanthorpe Pizza Hut owners David and Lorraine Cole only took over the store in January but the business has now closed. Picture: Contributed

The closure will also impact the staff Ms Theiss employs.

She plans to take a holiday to re-gather herself and plan the next move.

"Take a break, rest, recover and when we get back sort out what is going on.

"We have had a little interest in the business so there may be something else that pops up. It won't be called Micky Mae but there might be something else.

"I think we're all doing it tough here.

"It is just getting really, really slow in town. There's not the traffic of people that there used to be.

"Tourists are coming out and they may be spending in the cafes, I don't know, but are they spending in all the other everyday shops?”

A few doors down and Pizza Hut recently closed its doors as well.

New owners came in back on January 2, but have now departed too.

"We'd really like to thank everyone for their support over the years,” Ms Theiss said.

She'll continue her Micky Mae clothing label, instead making and selling it from the comfort of her home.

You can keep up to date on her latest offerings by visiting her website and Facebook page at facebook.com/MickyMaeFabric/