The Italian Bistro bid arrivederci to the Shops At Penn earlier this month, becoming the fourth company in recent months to leave the shopping area at 3401 Walnut Street. Quantum Books, The Lodge and Perfect Pretzel each went out of business during the past few months for "business and economic reasons," Executive Vice President Janet Hale said. And although the Italian Bistro restaurant chain is still functioning -- with Bistros in operation at two other Philadelphia locations -- Bistro owner Marco Longo did not choose to renew his lease at the University City location, his wife Monica said. Shops at Penn Manager Mike Fox said the recent exodus of companies out of the 3401 shopping area may turn out to be a blessing in disguise. "There is serious interest [from other companies] in all of these stores," Fox said. "The changes will provide us with the opportunity to improve the shopping center." He would not comment, though, on which companies are interested in the properties, except to say that the Lodge site will soon have a new occupant. Associate Treasurer Christopher Mason said that despite the recent closings, the University's status among retailers as a strong consumer's market is still intact. "There are 30,000 square feet of retail space on this campus," he said. "And 90 to 95 percent of it is occupied." Hale agreed, calling the closings "isolated incidents." "For each one there's a different story," she said. "With the Lodge, for example, the whole company was bought out." Mason also said that compared to Lodge stores at different locations, the store on 34th Street was relatively successful. The Bistro, on the other hand, lost customers because it was "old," Fox said. "It was dated and it looked worn," he said. "The interior was all worn out." But Monica Longo, who manages the Bistro in the Franklin Mills Mall, said the company relocated the University City restaurant to Wilmington, Del., because of all the crime around campus. "There were break-ins during the night -- we were calling the police every night," she said. "Customers' bags were stolen [and] everything was [missing] all the time." Monica Longo added that the crime resulted in less of a dinner crowd after 8 p.m. at the University City location. But University Police Sergeant Joseph Risoli said University Police have not responded to any complaints at the Bistro since November 1993. In the case of the Perfect Pretzel store, the nearby Cinnabon drew more customers, according to Mason. He added that in general, he does not think it is a good idea to open a pretzel store in Philadelphia, "where you can get a pretzel across the street for 30 cents." Fox also said "local competition" caused the Perfect Pretzel to crumble, adding that its on-campus rival, Auntie Anne's pretzel shop in Houston Hall, did a lot damage to the small company's income. Quantum Books, which has one other location in Boston, went out of business for a different reason, Fox said. "Their overhead was way too large for what they needed," he said. "They just didn't have the staying power." Mason said that because an independent firm, Kracco, owns all of the Shops at Penn real estate, the University will not lose any money resulting from the recent closings.
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