By CARRI GRAHAM

Times Leader Staff Writer

ST. CLAIRSVILLE — The future of a local hair salon remains uncertain, as hundreds of the chain’s stores are set to close.

Joe Bell, spokesman for Cafaro Co., the Ohio Valley Mall’s parent company, said the future of the Regis Salon at the St. Clairsville retail center is “not a clear situation” at this time. Bell said Regis is closing salons across the country.

“The corporation had transferred ownership of the company (Regis Salons) to The Beautiful Group, TBG. They (TBG) are transferring back 200 salons to Regis and Mastercuts. The remaining 300 Regis Salons will close,” Bell said.

The Beautiful Group will transfer approximately 200 mall-based salons back to Regis and Mastercuts salons. However, Ohio Valley Mall officials are unsure what will happen to the salons located inside the mall location.

“We don’t know the situation right now; which ones they want to close or rebrand,” he said.

Both Regis and Mastercuts could potentially become rebranded as the other or the salons could be forced to close their doors, he said.

In other mall news, a new Cricket Wireless store is set to open within the next 100 days on the facility’s perimeter, Bell said. Cricket is a cellular device network that offers service with no annual contracts. The new store will be located next to Chipotle Mexican Grill.

Bell said the new Chick-fil-A restaurant is still on schedule to open in the parking lot near Longhorn Steakhouse in the spring. The restaurant previously had intended to opens its doors by the end of the holiday season, however, the opening has been delayed until March or April, Bell said. Construction of the new building broke ground in September.

Pier One Imports at the nearby Ohio Valley Plaza is not closing, a store associate said Thursday, despite rumors that have been circulating. The store is simply in the middle of a large sale, the associate said.