Checkered Flag closing at Lindale

Checkered Flag, a  local retailer of Hawkeye and NASCAR collectibles, plans to close its Lindale Mall store on Jan. 15.

Owner Doug Shalla said the store, facing a lease renewal at the end of January, began a liquidation sale this week.  Any merchandise not sold will be moved to the company's store at 251 Second Ave., Coralville.

Shalla said the terms of the lease offered to Checkered Flag and the mall's decision to grant a long-term lease to a competing retailer factored into the closing decision. The mall would have been able to terminate Checkered Flag's lease with only 30 days notice, Shalla said.

Checkered Flag had been at Lindale Mall for 11 years and had been on the upper  level for the last three and a half years, Shalla said.