BLUEFIELD, Va. — The end is near for a chain of Appalachian discount stores in business for over half a century.

Magic Mart stores informed employees this morning that the company is closing all of its stores, citing inadequate sales and substantial financial losses.

According to the company’s website, Magic Mart was founded by a pair of brothers who immigrated to the United States from Syria in 1911. After opening a department store in Williamson in 1920, they founded Magic Mart in 1967, with the first store in Grundy.

Today, the company operates 21 in four Appalachian states.

WVVA TV in Bluefield reports the company anticipates the closure to take place in the latter half of September.