WKU boutique Topper Corner permanently closed Monday, Feb. 26, according to its Facebook page.

It was located in a building leased and operated by WKU near the Bowling Green Hot Rods stadium. It opened in late September 2016 and was an “art gallery and gift boutique featuring local art, gifts, and logo apparel,” according to its Facebook page.

Brad Wheeler, assistant vice president for business services, said Topper Corner did not shut down due to recent budget cuts. It closed because there wasn’t enough business.

“I’m proud of the staff and employees that worked to create the space, but there was not enough downtown traffic,” Wheeler said.

Wheeler is still optimistic about how Topper Corner’s legacy will affect The WKU Store located on campus. He said what worked well for Topper Corner will hopefully appeal to students in the future.

“We’re going to replicate some of what we did downtown on campus come fall 2018,” he said.

Sarah Sears, marketing coordinator for The WKU Store, said Topper Corner most likely closed due to a collaborative decision that came down to the amount of sales.

Sears said The WKU Store is not directly affiliated with Topper Corner, although both are owned by the university. Due to Topper Corner closing, she said there might be a possibility of revenue trickling down to The WKU Store.

“Customers who avoided WKU parking may be subject to coming to The WKU Store now,” Sears said.

Destiny Fountain, a freshman from Florence, expressed concern over Topper Corner closing.

“I thought they had really cute stuff for their prices and were in a great location, especially being connected to Starbucks,” Fountain said. “I thought their closing was really unexpected since they didn’t mention anything about it, and I’m kind of sad since it was such a cute little boutique.”

In its most recent Facebook post, Topper Corner encouraged customers to continue shopping for WKU merchandise at The WKU Store.

“Remember shopping there directly impacts WKU and the community,” the post read.

The WKU Store has several locations. The main store is on the ground floor of the Downing Student Union. There are also stores at the Glasgow and Owensboro regional campuses.

News reporter Natasha Breu can be reached at [email protected].