The Upper Valley Mall will lose one of its anchor department stores next year, leaving about 40 people without jobs.

Elder-Beerman will leave the mall — which officials say is the largest sales tax generator in Clark County — when the lease ends in January. Elder-Beerman owner Bon Ton announced the closing Wednesday.

Elder-Beerman had been in the mall for about 20 years.

“We review our assets on a consistent basis, stores being one of our biggest assets,” said Mary Kerr, Bon Ton vice president of investor and public relations, in an e-mail. She said the reviews are done for every store when the lease end date approaches.

“And it was determined not to renew (the Springfield store) based on that review,” she said. “We don’t go into specifics any more than that.”

It leaves local shoppers with one less department store option.

“This mall has been going down for years,” said Rebecca Gammon, a Springfield resident. “When I come here to look for something nice, (Elder Beerman) is one of the first stores you go to. For nicer things, I’ll have to go to Fairborn.”

Shoppers driving to Fairborn or anywhere out of county means Clark County loses money. According to the Buy Springfield Campaign, Springfield retains $46 out of every $100 spent at a national chain located here.

The mall “is the major source of sales tax,” said John Detrick, Clark County commissioner. “Nothing else compares to it.”

Sales tax revenues in the county have gone up this year.

Mall manager Brenda LaBonte said that Elder-Beerman is not a reflection of how well the mall is doing and that the mall is in very good position going into holiday season.

“Obviously, we’re saddened to hear Elder-Beerman is closing, although shoppers are still encouraged to shop there to the end of the year,” LaBonte said. “Although we’re losing a retailer, we still look forward to continue to grow and get more energy with new stores.”

The mall has added a Toys R Us Express Store and City Echo recently and has some store expansions going on, including MC Sports and A Taste of Gourmet. A new tenant, Kitchen Collections, is one store in the process of moving in.

LaBonte would not release the mall vacancy rates, but the Springfield News-Sun found about six open spaces left in the mall.

This year the mall lost Lost Nation skate shop and Pac Sun, and local store Hot Image just posted signs it will be closing soon.

Local workforce development officials are deploying a rapid response team for the 40 employees who will lose their jobs come January to help instruct them on unemployment benefits and finding new jobs.

Amy Donahoe, director of hiring and employee services with the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce, has been in contact with Elder-Beerman since its announcement on Wednesday.

“What’s important is that we want to support them and their staff and continue to hire through seasonal opportunities as they will be open during the holiday season,” she said.

Kerr said Elder-Beerman will offer affected employees the opportunity to interview for available positions at other Elder-Beerman stores or receive career transition benefits including severance pay.

Sears, one of the mall’s four anchors, remains certain it will do well even without the draw of Elder-Beerman. Darryl Yount, Sears store manager, said Sears has a more diverse selection of merchandise.

“I don’t see any at all effect on them leaving us,” Yount said. “I hate to see them go. But I think as a store we’re real happy with our results. We’re looking forward to a great fourth quarter and holiday season.”