Categories: Business, News

The Rotterdam Square Mall will always hold a special place in Joseph Tullio’s heart.

Tullio, who is the owner of Tullio Hair Studio, closed his salon location there on New Year’s Eve.

After 27 years of trimming and styling clients’ hair at the Rotterdam spot, Tullio said it was time to move on.

“We had a great run in Rotterdam Square Mall — we did very well for many, many years,” the salon owner said Wednesday. “But then, my lease was up, and I said to myself, ‘It’s time.’ ”

MALL STORES Click here for a list of stores at Rotterdam Square Mall

The company has two other salon locations, one inside Crossgates mall and another in Carman Plaza in Guilderland.

Tullio’s daughter recently had a baby, and the salon owner said he looks forward to focusing on family during the next part of his life.

“I almost cried when I closed the place for the last time,” Tullio recalled. “I’m starting to get up there in age, so we’re consolidating business and focusing on the two locations we have right now to modernize them and make them a bit more edgy.

“Rotterdam has treated me really good and, without it, I wouldn’t have the success I have today,” Tullio continued. “I want to thank all our clients for supporting us for so many years and also my staff has been very loyal to me.”

If clients want to follow a hairstylist to their new location, Tullio said four will be relocated to the Carman Plaza salon, where the Monday and Tuesday hours were extended to be open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

“The stylists who we don’t bring with us, when they let me know where they’re going to be, I will be glad to tell their clients where they’re going so they can follow them there, too,” Tullio said. “I’ve been in business for many years and believe our clients and staff have been good to me, so I want to wish them the best.”

The Rotterdam mall has struggled to keep businesses occupying its store spaces in recent years, as it lost some major tenants over the past two years, including T.J. Maxx in March 2014 and Macy’s and Gap Outlet last spring. The property’s assessment was reduced from $30 million to $19.9 million in 2014, and its power was shut off last February because of a delinquent bill.

Between Dec. 31 and Jan. 31, three stores will close — the Tullio Hair Studio, Matthew’s Hallmark and Things Remembered.

Things Remembered will close Jan. 23, according to a store manager on Wednesday.





The manager said she had no idea why the store is closing its Rotterdam mall location, but the Crossgates mall location is staying open.

None of the employees at the Rotterdam store were being transferred to another store, and are losing their jobs, she said.

Dyanna Barnes, an employee at Matthew’s Hallmark, said the store will close Jan. 26.

“We have other stores in Colonie Center mall, one in Stuyvesant Plaza, one in Scotia and another in Crossgates.”

“I’m not sure whether employees at this store will be transferred to other stores or not,” Barnes said.

The Rotterdam Square manager declined to comment.

When the other two stores leave at the end of the month, about half of the mall’s spaces will be vacant.

Tullio impressed

Even so, Tullio said he is confident the mall’s new owner is turning things around.

In May, the Turkish developer Via Properties purchased the Rotterdam mall for $9.25 million, and announced plans that included an aquarium and a family fun zone with a bowling alley, arcade games and a sports bar.

The 25,000-square-foot display aquarium is slated to open late next month.

Tullio said he met two men with Via Properties, which is based in Istanbul, at the mall office one day, and he was impressed with them.

“I’m very optimistic about these new owners,” Tullio said. “They are motivated, and in addition to the aquarium and fun zone, a beautiful, nice restaurant is supposed to go in, too.”

Tullio said he hasn’t heard of other stores that expect to leave the mall anytime soon.

“I think they’re going to stick around and wait for these plans to happen, and I think they will happen,” Tullio said. “I feel good about it because the owners and the manager are in it together to make it right — it just takes time.”