Avoid the Day Bookstore & Café, which opened its physical location in January 2020 in Rockaway Beach, N.Y., will close June 5. In a Facebook post, co-owners Jianna and Jason Heuer wrote: "We have made the incredibly difficult decision to permanently close the bookstore.... We have done the best we can, and all we can, given the circumstances of the last 2.5 years. We are so grateful for our loyal customers and amazing book community, we can't thank you enough for the support and the good times we shared.... And remember, there's nothing a little wine and a good book can't cure."
In an editorial headlined "Life Is Not a Hallmark Movie," the Wave that the Heuers' "heartbreaking decision to close the Avoid the Day Bookstore & Cafe hits hard.... For Jason and Jianna Heuer, their dream of owning Rockaway's only bookstore seemed magical back on its opening day on February 4, 2020. Just a few weeks later, the Heuers had to close its doors to foot traffic as the Covid-19 pandemic spread across the peninsula. They tried everything they could to keep going, and even as things started to loosen up, the economic challenges that have faced every small business just became too much for them to handle.... If this was a Hallmark movie, there'd be some kind of miracle solution to the problem. But alas, this is real life. In the meantime, let's do what we can to help Jason and Jianna and buy some books!"