Card and gift shop closing........

in downtown Harrisburg. Perks 'N Bribes, located at 225 N. Second St. has announced that they will be closing their doors forever January 31, 2008. Owner David Ferris blamed the closing on "poor sales and the disappearance of other retail shops on Second Street."

Now, this brings us to the proposed new federal courthouse for Harrisburg. The GSA has given Harrisburg the details of requirements of what is needed to build the courthouse at the 6th and Reilly Sts. location endorsed by Mayor-for-life Stephen Reed and local leaders. Some of the requirements are shopping, restaurants and offices. The Mayor has said before that would be no problem, etc., etc. Barbara Shelton, the GSA's regional director and a Harrisburg native has major doubts as to whether Reed can deliver on all his promises. I don't blame her on that one, a lot of people have their doubts as to whether Reed can deliver.

This all brings me to a really big question........if Reed can't attract and keep retail shops downtown, how in the hell is he going to do it at 6th and Reilly?