JAY – Movie Gallery, a video rental store at the Jay Plaza near Hannaford, is closing.

Employees were notified April 4 that Sunday is their last rental day, manager Bruce Thorndike of Wilton said Thursday.

The store is having a liquidation sale, selling movies at reduced prices as well as the racks and countertops, he said.

The Alabama-based, nationwide company is in financial reorganization and is closing its lower performing stores, Thorndike said.

The Jay store’s final day is April 27, but it may close sooner if everything is sold out, he added.

Besides Thorndike there are six employees, he said. Two are transferring to the Winthrop store and two others are going to the Farmington store. The other two are leaving the company.

Thorndike said he doesn’t know what he is going to do but is considering transferring to another store.

“Customers were upset to see the store go,” Thorndike said. “The response has been quite overwhelming. It’s a sure sign of the state of the economy.”

The movie store started out as Sounds Easy. It’s been a staple in the area for years.

David Reed, 18, of Jay manned the counter Thursday afternoon as customers trickled in and bought discounted movies.

Reed, a senior at Jay High School, said he has worked at the store for eight months.

He lives nearby and often walks to work.

He has decided to go to work at the Farmington store, he said.

“I really wish I would be able to stay here. I like it here. I’ve gotten used to working with the people here and the customers,” Reed said.

According to a February Associated Press story, Movie Gallery Inc. announced plans to close 400 more stores than it had planned in September when it announced the closing of 520 stores. It was part of the company’s reorganization plan as it attempts to exit bankruptcy.