After 21 years in business, the Book Table in Oak Park, Ill., will close permanently, the Chicago Sun Times reported.
Co-owners Jason Smith and Rachel Weaver, who opened the bookstore in July 2003, told the Times that the decision to close was a personal choice and not a financial one. The pandemic, they explained, was extremely difficult and took a large emotional toll.
"We thought that after everything returned to normal, we would be able to shake it off, and everything would be fine," Smith said. "But we've found that we haven't fully shaken it off, and it's time."
When the store opened at 1045 Lake St., it was one of four bookstores in the neighborhood and focused only on used books. As nearby stores began to close, a need arose in the community for a bookstore selling new titles. In 2011, the Book Table took over an adjacent storefront and expanded the inventory.
"It's not just our love of books that kept us going this long; it was our love of this community," Smith added. "We have the world's greatest customers, and they have supported us in every way possible. We could not possibly be more grateful for every one of them."
Weaver and Smith have not set an official closing date, but on Thursday they discounted all books an additional 10%. They plan to increase the discount as they sell through their remaining inventory. The couple told the Times that they have not decided what they will do next.