AMSTERDAM — Despite the hard work of some downtown business owners, the situation in the historic area is just as dire as ever.

Three business owners, some of the biggest advocates of the city’s downtown, are leaving or have left.

Donna Peterson, owner of Uniforms and More, said her five-year-old shop is closing soon.

Peterson said the poor economy finally did her in.

“People can buy everything online and, with gas prices, they never need to leave their house. Everything is shipped right to them,” she said. “What are you going to do? A person’s got to eat.”

Peterson, of Perth, said she already has two jobs and is looking for another.

After just eight months, Brian Desrochers of Derocom Graphics is packing his belongings for a move to greener pastures along Route 30. Desrochers’ store was closed Friday and he was unavailable for comment.

With the departure of Desrochers and Peterson, the Downtown Amsterdam Business Association has also disbanded.

“We dissolved it at our last meeting,” Peterson said.

Peterson had been keeping the organization alive by herself. DABA looked to make a resurgence at the beginning of the year with new interest from Desrochers, who acted as the organization’s president, and other local business owners, including Laura Osborne, owner of the Natural Method Yoga Studio.

But Osborne, one of the biggest advocates of downtown Amsterdam, has joined the ranks of former downtown merchants. The building she was in was bought by Ilena Magaletti, who moved her Magaletti Dry Cleaners there.

Osborne said she always liked the downtown neighborhood — for its architecture, views and convenient central location.

“I wish I could be the one woman to save downtown, but apparently it has its own karma,” Osborne said.

For now, Osborne has found a new home at the Walter Elwood Museum.

As for Magaletti, she still believes in the area. The dry cleaners officially opened Friday.

“All of our old customers followed us, so we’re doing well,” she said.

Magaletti Dry Cleaners operated for two years on Market Street near the Public Safety Building.

Business owners downtown are excited about a billiard hall that is expected to open this year. They hope the business will bring some foot traffic, something at least Captain Video could use.

Manager Nancy Hine said the business operated at the Five Corners for 15 years, but once the strip mall closed, the video stored decided to try a new location downtown.

“It’s horrible,” Hine said. “There is no parking, people come by, they don’t find a spot and they leave.”

Hine said she likes the location because it’s quiet and peaceful, but that’s the problem.

At least one business has been steady in the downtown area, however.

The New Paris Shop, a clothing store owned by Philomena Iorio, has been operational for the last 80 years. Iorio said the sagging economy has had virtually no effect on her business. Practically all of her customers come from out of town, she said.

The shop has started shipping internationally, with shipments nearly every day.