In just one month, people in Cayuga County using the Auburn Liberty Travel agency branch will have to contact another branch to arrange future travel plans.
The Auburn branch will be consolidating with the branch in the Shoppingtown Mall in DeWitt, effective on or about Nov. 30.
“We're just doing a regular retail evaluation of all of our locations and merging some of our stores into others that have a stronger retail presence and where we feel we can consolidate staff and offer a better service to our customers,” Liberty Travel President Cathy Pelaez said.
She said the Shoppingtown Mall store “has a stronger consumer presence with more walk-by traffic and we just find it to be a stronger retail space.”
All existing bookings and arrangements not completed by the time the store closes will be transferred to the DeWitt location, she said.
She said the move should not greatly impact Auburn area customers as business does not necessarily need to be conducted in person. She said travel arrangements can be made over the phone or on their Web site, libertytravel.com.
When it comes to employees at the Auburn store, Pelaez said some will be transferring to other locations in the area, and there will only be minimal job loss.
One employee, Jerri Lynn Chronis, will join Liberty Travel's Homebase Agency program, which establishes a travel agency in her home, Area Leader for Upstate New York Stacey Agostinelli said. Liberty Travel will provide her with computers, phones, e-mail and other technology for her to maintain and expand her customer database in Auburn.
The agency's consolidation plans, which also impact stores in other areas of upstate New York, Florida, Illinois, the greater Washington D.C. area and New England, are not related to the recent downturn in the economy.
“This has been a long term strategy and basically what we are really doing is building a stronger foundation,” she said. “It has nothing to do with current events.”
Staff writer Alyssa Sunkin can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 239 or alyssa.sunkin@lee.net
“We're just doing a regular retail evaluation of all of our locations and merging some of our stores into others that have a stronger retail presence and where we feel we can consolidate staff and offer a better service to our customers,” Liberty Travel President Cathy Pelaez said.
She said the Shoppingtown Mall store “has a stronger consumer presence with more walk-by traffic and we just find it to be a stronger retail space.”
All existing bookings and arrangements not completed by the time the store closes will be transferred to the DeWitt location, she said.
She said the move should not greatly impact Auburn area customers as business does not necessarily need to be conducted in person. She said travel arrangements can be made over the phone or on their Web site, libertytravel.com.
When it comes to employees at the Auburn store, Pelaez said some will be transferring to other locations in the area, and there will only be minimal job loss.
One employee, Jerri Lynn Chronis, will join Liberty Travel's Homebase Agency program, which establishes a travel agency in her home, Area Leader for Upstate New York Stacey Agostinelli said. Liberty Travel will provide her with computers, phones, e-mail and other technology for her to maintain and expand her customer database in Auburn.
The agency's consolidation plans, which also impact stores in other areas of upstate New York, Florida, Illinois, the greater Washington D.C. area and New England, are not related to the recent downturn in the economy.
“This has been a long term strategy and basically what we are really doing is building a stronger foundation,” she said. “It has nothing to do with current events.”
Staff writer Alyssa Sunkin can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 239 or alyssa.sunkin@lee.net
Citizen
Hot Jobs
New! Off the Menu
The Citizens' Say
Post your comment - click hereThere are No comments posted.