Staff at a Poundstretcher store are facing redundancy when it closes to make way for a new council customer service centre.
The discount shop in Granby Street will shut its doors for good on Saturday.
Leicester City Council is to spend about £800,000 refitting the premises as a customer service centre to use when it quits its crumbling New Walk Centre headquarters at the end of this year.
Poundstretcher had said it was seeking to relocate to alternative premises in the city, but signs on the shop front say the nearest store will now be in Oadby.
Yesterday, staff told the Mercury that the 10 employees at the shop would be out of work when it stops trading.
One worker, who asked not to be named, said: "We will lose our jobs. We are going to be made redundant.
"They have been looking for another store but have not found one, so there is nothing for us to do.
"I think they are still looking, but it will probably be too late for us even if they find somewhere.
"All of us will lose our jobs and we are not happy about it."
Another staff member, who was in the original team when the store opened about 30 years ago, said: "On the first day I remember putting everything up in the store.
"Now I'm taking things down for the last time. It's very sad. I would have liked to carry on."
A Poundstretcher spokeswoman said the company had plans to open other stores in the city, but was looking for suitable sites.
He said: "Our Granby Street store will close and all staff are going through a consultation process.
"However, we are looking to expand the number of stores in the area and are looking for up to four new sites.
"Finding suitable sites can be a long process, but we hope to have some new stores open by the end of the year."
Customer Colin Watson, 53, said: "I feel gutted for the staff. They are lovely people and do not deserve to lose their jobs. Granby Street used to be one of the busiest streets – now another shop is going and more people will be without a job."
The council said its plans to occupy the store would help other shops and businesses in the area.
It said 13,000 visits a month were made to the existing New Walk Centre by people looking to pay bills or make inquiries.
It expected those people to use the shops in Granby Street.
City mayor Sir Peter Soulsby said: "It is a prominent and accessible high street location and, by moving there, we will be able to get many more people into that area, which will help businesses there."
