Customers of Super Ten on Washington Street picked over the last bits of knickknacks Friday, ahead of doors closing for good today.

“I’m just picking up a few bargains,” said Annette Brown as she headed out the door with some gift bows. “They’re closing.”

The discount retail grocer at 1509 Washington St. had slashed prices 70 percent in recent weeks. Shelves and racks will be packed up over the next several days after today’s close of business, said manager Ann Boswell, who cited high rent for the store’s closure.

Super Ten’s closing after 10 years leaves Fred’s Super Dollar as the only discount store on the strip of Washington Street restored in an urban renewal program a decade ago. It also leaves a staff of five hunting for work.

“I do want to stay in retail, in stores,” assistant manager Marissa Richardson said. “I like it.”

The prospect of loading heavy shelving and pegboard doesn’t faze her or cashier Debora Nixon, who plans to move to Lake Providence.

“I’ll probably get my husband to come here and help,” Richardson said.

The structure itself has housed a string of stores since it was built in the 19th century, most notably Sears Roebuck and Co., until 1965, when Sears moved to Battlefield Village mall. A TWL Variety Store operated at the Washington Street store before Super Ten.

In 2001, the city purchased the building for $139,000 during the downtown makeover that focused on 48 structures, then resold it for $20,000. In 2008, Riverbend Land & Development LLC of Ridgeland purchased it and converted upstairs floors into upscale apartments.

Super Ten is a division of Henderson, N.C.-based Variety Wholesalers Inc., which operates more than 440 discount clothing and retail stores in 14 states under the Roses, Maxway, Super Ten, Bargain Town, Bill’s and Super Dollar brands.