Tenants in final days before demolition of El Mercado shopping center
Reporter: Cory Marshall
Web Producer: Rikki Mitchell
TUCSON (KGUN9-TV) - Georgeanne Fimbres says Villa Feliz Flowers was her late husband's vision. This May will mark 42 years of business. But they won't be celebrating inside.
"It can be devastating to a company making a move," said Fibres. "One day can be everything."
Last December, the property manager sent El Mercado store tenants a letter, saying the shopping center is shutting down.
The land has been sold and a CVS is moving in. Fimbres says her lease agreement allows her to stay through April 25. And that was the plan.
"We have just been informed that we will be able to stay here, but under demolition conditions with fences," she said.
She says Thursday, a CVS demolition rep walked in the shop and essentially told her, you can stay but we're demolishing the center around you.
The longtime tenant is worried the bulldozers, constructions signs and sounds will scare away business.
Maya Palace Co-Owner John Kopplin says the same rep told him he needed to be out by March 25. Their lease agreement states they can stay through midnight on March 26.
"Then if they send people out to tell you you need to be out even sooner, that always turns out to be an unusual thing too," he said.
9OYS called a CVS spokesperson in Rhode Island. They haven't returned our call.
"We are trusting at the top of CVS we will have the type of ability to see the truth," said Fimbres.
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