ROSS TOWNSHIP (KDKA) — Borders Books and Music says it will go out of business over the next two months – unable to find an investor for its 399 stores that employ more than 10,000 people.

In February, Borders closed many of its stores, but left two opened in this region — one  in the North Hills and another store in Pittsburgh Mills.

Now the company has decided it must shut down all its operations and liquidate and that’s a sad day for customers and employees.

Kim Vitt is the store manager of Borders in Northway Mall and she says the news was a shock.

“It’s so disappointing and we’re so saddened and devastated by all this,” she said. “We thought we’d pull through.”

Forty-five employees are out of work and customers lose too.

“It’s a very convenient place to meet,” Greg Mazzotta, of Shaler, said. “The teams, the clients, projects, meet socially — it’s a very convenient place.”

Liquidation could begin as early as Friday and go through September which is why some are using gift cards immediately.

“I had a gift certificate for about a hundred dollars, so I came and stocked up on some Christmas gifts, fearing that when it goes into liquidation maybe my gift certificate wouldn’t work,” Cheryl McLaughlin said.

No word on that or if and when prices get reduced. In the meantime, Vitt admits to tears over the closing.

“It’s hard. I’m going to the back and doing what we have to,” she said. “Then coming back out, put my smiley face on and keep serving up until the end. We’ll be here.”

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