Cortana Mall f.y.e. among 125 stores being closed

The f.y.e. music and video store in Cortana Mall will shut down by Jan. 31, one of 125 stores to go dark nationwide as a result of slow sales and weak economic conditions. Cortana officials say the closure was not prompted by local performance, but they were informed the company would be shuttering several stores in Louisiana and Mississippi. Cortana, which launched a value-based rebranding campaign this year, actively is seeking a retailer to fill the vacant space. The Constitution Avenue location, near Interstate 10 and College Drive, will remain open. Trans World Entertainment Corp., the New York-based company that operates f.y.e., had 992 store locations at its peak in 2006. After the closures next month, that presence will be reduced to fewer than 600 stores.—Emma James