The Little Read Book in Wauwatosa, Wis., will close next month after 40 years in business, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.
Co-owners Linda and Fred Burg plan to retire and have set a closing date of July 18 for the new and used bookstore. A final sale will begin on June 15 and continue until July 18.
Linda Burg told the Journal Sentinel that "neither of us are sick, neither of us are tired of selling books," but they are looking forward to having fewer responsibilities and getting to spend time with their grandchildren.
Burg founded the bookshop in July 1985 and in 1989 moved the bookstore into its current home at 7603 W. State St. Fred Burg started helping out at the bookstore after retiring from a previous career in social work.
A few years ago the Burgs sold the building in which the Little Read Book resides, and it is unclear what will replace the bookstore. Linda Burg called it an "incredible sadness" that they have not found someone who "wants to put a bookstore in."
Reflecting on the generations of customers that supported the store, Burg said: "The most I can wish for any independent bookstore is to have a customer base as loyal as ours has been."