Larry Redmann, manager of Joe Mobile, the local Element Mobile Store in New London has been notified that AT&T will close their location at 1931 Shawano Road.
AT&T purchased Element Mobile in the fall of 2013.
“This store does not meet the new AT&T Mobility Store Branding requirements and we have decided to close this location,” Redmann said Monday.
In order to comply with the new branding requirements it would require an investment of $500,000. “Ultimately it’s a business decision,” reports Redmann.
“All of us here at Joe Mobile thank you for your patronage over the past ten years, we will miss our place here in the New London Community,” he said.
“We were given a short window of time to close this location, and we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience,” explained Redmann.
The store will officially close at the end of business on July 31.
Customers can still find assistance at Element Mobile of Waupaca until August 16. That location is 815 W. Fulton Street, Waupaca.
Element Mobile Corporate locations in Stevens Point and Wisconsin Rapids can also assist customers. Those locations will be converting their stores to the new branding requirements of AT&T.
Redmann said Element Mobile customers would receive conversion packets in the mail by late this week or early next week. He estimates they had between 2,500 to 3,000 customers in the New London, Clintonville and Marion areas.
Wisconsin is the second state out of six to undergo the conversion since AT&T purchased Element Mobile last fall. The complete network conversion in Wisconsin is expected sometime this September.
Customers can also travel to corporate locations for service in Appleton and Oshkosh after the conversion.
Joe Mobile has been an active member of the New London business community and Chamber of Commerce for the past decade. Store owner, Joe Steihl, will continue to serve clients and expand Steihl Communications, a firm that provides cellular solutions for businesses, including customized in-building cellular/PCS network systems.