BUSINESS DIGEST ||

Backroom to close

BOARDMAN

The Backroom at The Limited locations at Southern Park Mall, 7401 Market St., and Eastwood Mall, 5555 Youngstown-Warren Road, will close Jan. 7. The closures came after the stores ran what appeared to be liquidation sales with all sales final and no returns allowed.

The Backroom at The Limited is a spin-off of Columbus-based The Limited, a women’s speciality store. News outlets throughout the U.S. have reported closed locations. Earlier this month, the company said it was laying off 248 employees at its headquarters.

The Limited’s parent company, Sun Capital Partners Inc., started to explore selling the chain of more than 240 stores in November. The Limited was founded in 1963 in Ohio.

Smoothie Shop closes

BOARDMAN

The Smoothie Shop, 7403 Market St., has closed, according to a letter sent to the shop’s employees and obtained by The Vindicator.

The letter was sent to employees from the owner of the business, Mike Evans. On Thursday afternoon, the business was closed during hours it is normally open. The owner could not be reached to comment.

The shop, which focused on healthful alternative smoothie, salad and sandwich options, opened Sept. 9, 2015.

GM sued over fire

HARRISBURG, pa.

General Motors has been sued over a 2014 car fire that caused more than $450,000 in damage to two central Pennsylvania homes.

Pennlive.com reports that Erie Insurance Exchange and four of its policy holders claim the blaze resulted from a defect GM officials didn’t adequately address.

The fire began in the engine compartment of a 2000 Pontiac Grand Prix owned by Bruce and Sheri Dohner, spread to their garage and engulfed their home. A neighbor’s home also was damaged.

The car was among 1.1 million recalled by GM for a defect that allowed oil to leak onto the engine’s hot manifolds. The lawsuit says the Dohners got the work done, but the repair didn’t work.

On Tuesday, GM asked to have the case moved from Cumberland County Court, where it was originally filed, to federal court in Harrisburg.

Minivans recalled

DETROIT

Honda Motor Co. recalled 633,753 Odyssey minivans in the U.S. because the second-row seats could move unexpectedly.

The recall involves Odysseys from the 2011 to 2016 model years. They were made between Aug. 1, 2010, and Oct. 1, 2015.

The vehicles have a second-row seat lever that moves the outer seats forward to access the third row. Honda says the release lever may remain in an unlocked position, which could allow the seats to move unexpectedly.

Honda says the problem was identified through warranty claims. There are no reports of injuries or accidents related to the issue.

Honda will notify owners about the recall next month. Dealers will repair the seat levers for free.

The recall was posted Thursday on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s website.

Mortgage rates rise

Long-term U.S. mortgage rates edged up this week to the highest levels in more than two years. Investors are bidding up rates under the belief that inflation and economic growth will rise with the incoming Trump administration. Long-term mortgage rates have risen nine straight weeks.

Staff/wire reports