The Phoenix Bookstore, which opened last December in downtown Laredo, Tex., will be closing soon. In a Facebook post announcing their decision, owners Margarita Govea and Jose Cantu wrote: "As much as we love our historical venue and downtown Laredo it is no longer financially feasible for us to continue operating out of it. We will remain open for the time being as we place our building up for lease and find new tenants. It has been our pleasure to welcome you into our beautiful historical home and to offer you book recommendations."
While the bookstore's "primary function was serving books to the community, it was also a functioning cafe and a hub for musical performances, open mic poetry, art classes and more," the Laredo Morning Times reported. "With restrictions in place to limit social gatherings, as well as having to close to foot traffic during stay-at-home orders enacted in Laredo and throughout the state, the bookstore seems to be another casualty of the Covid pandemic."