Some merchants in the Enchanted Forest Shopping Center are worried about their future in light of last month's closing of The Family Fun Jungle, an indoor children's recreation center that anchored part of the Ellicott City shopping center.
"We're definitely upset," said Walter Gleason, manager of Freshens Yogurt and Ice Cream, directly across from the Fun Jungle's former site.
"It has taken away the walking trade. Before they closed, we got 100 customers a day, now, 50 a day -- and that's a good day."
The closure also could affect business at the Enchanted Forest Theme Park, which for years was a magnet for Howard County children attracted to its life-size figures from Mother Goose stories.
The entrance to the theme park, now closed for the winter, is next to the Fun Jungle.
Towson-based JHP Development Inc., owner of both the theme park and the adjacent shopping center, closed the Fun Jungle Nov. 13, saying it had sold the concept and that it would be relocated to an unspecified area in Northern Virginia.
A notice posted on the door of the closed building states that the Enchanted Forest Theme Park will reopen for business "around Memorial Day."
But Jeffrey S. Pechter, vice president of JHP, did not respond to telephone calls last week and this week to discuss the future of the theme park.
Mr. Pechter and his father, Jack H. Pechter, owners of JHP, bought 32 acres, including the theme park, in 1988 for more than $4.5 million from businessman Howard E. Harrison III. His father opened the theme park in 1954.
In March 1992, the Pechters opened a 136,000-square-foot shopping center at the site, leasing much of the space to such tenants as Safeway, which anchored the part of the center opposite the theme park.
The theme park, which had been closed since 1986, was renovated and reopened in May.
Last month's closing of the Fun Jungle took some of the shopping center's 24 merchants by surprise. The indoor recreation center, which included a "jungle challenge" children's obstacle course, games and a room for birthday parties, had claimed a booming business shortly after it opened in July 1992.
"We're very sad to see them go," said Al Lichaa, president of the 18-member Enchanted Forest Business Association.
"It does affect the shopping center, in the sense that the kids will not have a place to go till the spring."
He said, however, that he is confident that the seasonal theme park will reopen on schedule.
"The Fun Jungle has nothing to do with the Enchanted Forest itself, although they have the same owner," he said.
Mary Jay, speaking for Mary Jay's Candy near the Fun Jungle, said she thought that the business might close when she saw workers removing items from the building last month.
"I'm a concerned merchant because we need another draw on this end -- we need the foot traffic," she said.
Now that the Fun Jungle is closed, "we can see a tremendous change. . . . Right now, we're trying to get through Christmas.
Owners of the candy store and the nearby yogurt shop said they had enjoyed overflow business from the Fun Jungle. The yogurt shop sold up to 15 cakes a week for birthday parties and the recreation center, especially in the summer, said Mr. Gleason, the yogurt shop's manager.