Dublin families who relied on Opening Night! Distinctive Dancewear for ballet slippers, pointe shoe fittings and competition leotards will need to drive a bit farther. The dancewear boutique permanently closed its location at 6371 Sawmill Rd. on May 1 after 40 years in business there.

The shop opened at that Sawmill Road address in 1986 and became a go-to stop for dancers, gymnasts, cheerleaders and ice skaters across central Ohio. It carried major brands including Capezio, Bloch and Russian Pointe, and was known for in-person pointe shoe fittings guided by experienced staff.

Opening Night! said in a social media post that it was sad to leave the Dublin storefront but looked forward to what comes next, according to 614Now, which first reported the closure on Wednesday, Aug. 12. The company has not publicly stated why it left Dublin.

The business is now running all operations out of its Gahanna store at 163 Granville St., which it opened in 1997. Customers can also shop online at openingnightdancewear.com with home shipping or in-store pickup.

Looking ahead, Opening Night! said on its website that it is available to host pop-up stores at local dance studios during the back-to-school season and is exploring the possibility of opening another location. Studios interested in hosting a pop-up can contact the business at [email protected] or call 614-337-9733.

The Gahanna store is running a back-to-school sale through Aug. 28, offering 10% off in-store purchases and a code (BTS26) for online orders. Hours are Monday through Thursday, noon to 7 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, noon to 6 p.m.; and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.