Eight highly visible businesses in the Maine Mall area have shut their doors or are on the verge of closing in the worsening economy. More are predicted to go dark in 2009.

Even retail stalwarts like Sears, Macy’s and Talbots are reporting steep sales drops nationwide, with plans to scale back expansions or operations. There is no word on how Maine stores may be affected.

The following is a rundown of some of the more popular Maine Mall-area businesses to announce closings or file for bankruptcy, as credit tightens, job loss increases and shoppers spend less.

• Vinny Ts of Boston closed in December 2007. The Boston-based restaurant chain closed a number of locations because of declining business. The restaurant was located at the rear of the mall, next to Chuck E. Cheese. The space has not been filled.

• TGI Fridays, March 2008. The restaurant was located at 201 Gorham Road. The restaurant closed abruptly, locking its doors with no notice. The building is for sale.

• Down East Mortgage, early 2008. The office was located at 261

Gorham Road. Owners blamed the closing of the 21-year-old business on the economic downturn and credit crunch.

• Tweeter, December 2008. The big box electronics store was located at 335 Maine Mall Road. The store was abruptly closed soon after announcing bankruptcy, angering employees and customers by the lack of notice.

• Linens N Things, December 2008. The mall anchor store closed after Christmas 2008, following a 60-day liquidation sale.

• Maggie Moos ice cream, early 2009. The store was located at 200 Gorham Road. The franchise owner also closed a sister store in Saco.

• Office Depot, 301 Maine Mall Road, plans to close within the next few months. The chain store announced the shutdown in December 2008, but is staying open to sell off remaining inventory. Nationwide, the company is closing 10 percent of its stores to save an estimated $90 million.

• Circuit City, 555 Maine Mall Road, declared bankruptcy in December, but said it planned to keep the store open. Then in January, it suddenly announced plans to liquidate inventory and close. No date has been given.

Meanwhile, the Sebago Brewery restaurant, located at the rear of the Maine Mall, is set to move to its new home in Scarborough on Jan. 31, leaving another empty building in the Maine Mall parking lot.

The move represents an expansion for the popular, Maine-owned company. But it is another loss for the Maine Mall.

Also, the future is uncertain for Ruby Tuesday, a national restaurant chain with a presence at the Maine Mall.

The company announced it will scale back restaurants over the next several years, but declined to identify which ones.