Rumors swirling around about the closing of Atmore’s Verizon Wireless store aren’t “entirely” true, according to an official with the company.

Jeannine Brew, an external communications spokesperson with Verizon Wireless, said the company announced plans to reorganize within its business to pave the way for future growth.

“Beginning late July 2017, a small number of Verizon Wireless stores will be divested to a Verizon agent,” Brew said in an email. “While these stores will no longer be owned and managed by Verizon Communications, these Verizon agents are trusted business partners, committed to providing customers with the same level of service and quality standards that the community associates with the Verizon brand.”
Brew said Verizon will still have a presence in Atmore, and an agent is an authorized Verizon seller.

Brew described an agent as a franchisor, who will be able to do pretty much everything they do now at the store in the future.

“The store will be easily identifiable as a Verizon store, but the ownership and management will be different,” she said.

As for the current employees at the Atmore store, Brew said employees will be given the opportunity to pursue employment with the Verizon agent or seek opportunities within the communications company.