Two neighboring Campustown businesses will soon close their doors — actions owners attribute to personal setbacks and a poor economy.

Zushy*, 2406 Lincoln Way, and Daydreams, 2408 Lincoln Way, decided individually to go out of business. Zushy* will close Saturday. Daydreams will close when the business’ lease expires at the end of November.

Since Zushy*’s opening in August 2001, owner Liza Kindred said she struggled with finding funding and help as a small business owner.

“For small businesses, the economy is horrible right now,” Kindred said. Zushy* sells custom-designed apparel, clothing and gifts.

Kindred said she sought help from small business associations that have been affected by cuts in government funding designed to help entrepreneurs.

She said she noticed differences in the number of staff members in these programs and lack of funds, and it had a negative affect on Zushy*.

“George Bush has done a huge amount of harm for small businesses,” Kindred said. “I’m not a particularly political person. I’m not out there pounding the pavement, putting signs in the yard, but [owning a small business] has kind of made me more political.”

Both Kindred and Kathy Feidler, co-owner of Daydreams, said they felt the poor economy has affected their businesses.

Feidler, who co-owns both the Daydreams store in Des Moines and the one in Ames, said the Ames Daydreams, which offers posters, clothing, incense and disc golf equipment, did well until two years ago.

“Ames [Daydreams] was quite the successful store for us,” Feidler said. “After a change in leadership [for the country], there’s now a poor economy, budget deficit and things at the store aren’t going too well.”

Daydreams’ owners felt the economy was the biggest reason why the store will be closing, said Sarah Lynn, Daydreams employee and freshman in horticulture.

“Our manager specifically told us to blame Bush and the economy for the closing [of Daydreams],” Lynn said.

Both Feidler and Kindred said they believe tuition increases may have affected students’ buying of their merchandise, as well.

“We are quite aware that tuition rates are going up for students,” Feidler said. “I think students are really feeling the pinch.”

Feidler said it has been increasingly harder for her to commute between the Ames store and Des Moines store due to back problems and time constraints. She said the store needs to have leadership, but because of lower profits for the store, they couldn’t afford to hire another manager.

Feidler said closing the Ames Daydreams was a hard decision. Feidler and Clark will continue to run the Daydreams store in Des Moines, she said.

“We’ve developed a lot of friends in Ames, and maybe we should have closed a long time ago, but we kept hoping for the best,” Feidler said. “Closing the store is really sad for us.”

Kindred said her decision to close Zushy* was not because sales were bad.

“It’s tough closing because actually, business is quite good,” Kindred said. “There are other personal things, and it’s becoming increasingly hard to turn a profit.”

One motive for Kindred’s decision to close Zushy* was her own stress level, she said.

“I’ve done it all by myself from day one,” she said. “I haven’t had a day off since I started.”

“I have a list of things to do before I die, and one of them was to own my own business,” she said. “I did it, and now I’m done.”

Kindred said she thinks closing Zushy* will cause a change in the Campustown atmosphere.

“This store tries to add culture to the community, but the climate isn’t for small businesses,” Kindred said. “That’s what gives a community its flavor.”

Employees of both stores said they believe customers of both Zushy* and Daydreams will miss the convenient locations and the one-of-a-kind products sold at both stores.

“People are in mourning because of the closing. People walk in the door and look like somebody has died,” Kindred said. “People keep asking me if I’m OK. I’m fine. I feel like I have to take on the role of consoling people.”

Shoppers who frequented the two stores are disappointed in the closings.

“I liked both Daydreams and Zushy* because they are individuals in their own markets in Ames,” said Jessica Barnd, junior in interior design. “Zushy* has got the more trendy things you can’t find anywhere else, and Daydreams has a wide selection as far as tapestries and clothing for the hippie culture.”

Daydreams is running some close-out sales, but some merchandise will be sold in the Des Moines store, Lynn said.

At Zushy*, items will be 40 percent off on Monday and Tuesday. On Wednesday and Thursday, everything will be 50 percent off, and on Friday and Saturday, everything will be 60 percent off.

Zushy* will also sell its store fixtures, and some items will continue to be offered online at www.zushy.com, Kindred said.