Gables landmark Poe’s Rentals to close

Poe’s Rentals, a Coral Gables landmark that has stood on the corner of US 1 and Le Jeune Road since 1948, is set to close, the Miami Herald reported. While the company has two other locations in South Florida, the recession has made things “difficult,” according to owner Wendy Poe Whitmire, particularly in the face of competition from big-boxes like Home Depot. “It’s been very emotional the last couple of weeks, not only for myself but for my employees and a lot of our customers,” she said. [Miami Herald]