By Kevin Hanson, The Courier-Herald

One of downtown Enumclaw's most visible businesses will soon be going dark.

Signs were posted Saturday morning at Sunrise Hallmark, breaking the news that owners Leo and Sue Smith have decided to close their store at the corner of Cole Street and Griffin Avenue.

Doors were locked at the close of business Saturday and will not reopen until Thursday morning, giving the Smith's the opportunity to arrange a liquidation sale. The store will be open six days a week (closed Sundays) until May 29.

There has been a Sunrise Pharmacy in Enumclaw for decades and the Smiths bought the downtown business in 1996. They eliminated the pharmacy in 2003 and converted the space into a soda fountain, an ill-fated venture.

Leo Smith said the entire business climate has changed, making it tough for small operations to be financially successful. Customers' willingness to head for "big-box stores 15 minutes from town" eventually was too much to overcome, he said.

The Smiths are unsure what their future will hold, but they will retain ownership of the familiar building at Cole and Griffin. In fact, they're renovating the upstairs, which was home to business ventures years ago. The soda fountain is still available and they'll soon be marketing the ground-floor space.