More Sad Bookstore News

Word that the bookstore Mysteries to Die For in Thousand Oaks, California, was on the brink of closing leaked out in early July, when L.A. Observed put up this brief post. But now comes confirmation of this sorry news. The Ventura County Star reports that “after 19 years in business” the shop “will close its doors Saturday,” adding:

It doesn’t take a trench-coated sleuth to unravel Mysteries to Die For’s death. The culprit, brazen with a string of victims of all stripes, was the economy.

Dwindling sales, the cost of necessary improvements and fixes and other expenses took too much of a financial toll, prompting [owner Alan] Chisholm to take a step he had staved off as long as possible.

“I always said I’d do this as long as I don’t lose money,” he said. “I don’t know how to keep it going.”

You can read the Star’s full report here. It includes the contrastingly hopeful news that “Mysteries to Die For’s closure does not signal an epidemic, according to those in the book business. While niche sellers have more challenges, the number of independent bookstores has grown in recent years amid a tough retail market.”