It was a frightening morning for a Hernando County business owner when she came face to face with the man who was trying to rob her store. 

For Cathy Merco, her beloved consignment store, The Great Stuff on Main Street in Brooksville, will never be the same.

Merco told Bay News 9's Katya Guillaume Wednesday morning that she felt like her life was being threatened. 

“The doors are not open and I said, 'Can I help you?' and he’s come here and he’s grabbed the cash box under here," she said.

She was preparing to open the store when she saw the man behind her register. 

“He didn’t say anything," she said, "He just stared at me, he wanted that … whatever he had to do to get back in here to get that cash, well he came three or four times.” 

She said luckily her partner was also there to prevent anything from being stolen, “Because he went after him and got him, they wrestled to the ground and I was saying let him go, let him go,” Merco said. 

Merco told Bay News 9 she’s had her store for 25 years, selling unique items made by different vendors, but now this frightening incident is forcing her to shut her doors.

“I’m still shaking and I don’t feel safe here,” she said. 

The incident was unfortunately not caught on camera and the man was able to get away before deputies arrived on the scene.

"I have other people that work here," Merco said. "So I would feel liable for them if something were to happen, and I’ve always been able to say, people have questioned you’re in downtown Brooksville and I’ve always been able to say I’ve never had anything happen.” 

The Hernando County Sheriff’s Office is working said there is an open investigation in to the robbery. 

Investigators are asking anyone who may have seen anything or has any information, to call the Sheriff’s Office.