SAN FRANCISCO, CA — A beloved independent bookstore in San Francisco is closing after nearly a decade, according to the shop’s owner.
Silver Sprocket announced the store’s last day would be Monday, and everything in the store would be 30% off, according to a post on social media from Owner and Publisher Avi Ehrlich.
“This is the saddest news,” one person commented. “Sprocket is truly a one-of-a-kind place where the indie comic community was able to thrive,” another person commented.
The closure, according to the store’s owners, was due to financial issues prompted by a drop in foot traffic, lower sales and rising expenses.
“The unfortunate reality is that even with the positive response to our membership drive, difficult staff cuts, and every other action we could think of, the store continues to lose money each month,” Ehrlich said. “To offset the drop in sales over the past three years, I have been supporting the store by taking on personal debt.”
Ehrlich said running Silver Sprocket “has truly been a dream.”
“I hold tremendous gratitude to everyone who has brought their work to our storefront over the past nine years,” Ehrlich said. “Thank you all so much for being part of this journey with us.”
While the brick-and-mortar will be closed after Monday, Ehrlich says he intends to keep the spirit of Silver Sprocket alive in the future through local community pop-ups and events.
For now, Ehrlich says he was to take some time to clear inventory, “stabilize the impact of the personal debt I incurred by keeping the store going,” and address stress-induced health issues.
“We look forward to coming out on the other side of the store closure in a better place to give our unique community the energy, attention and love we feel it deserves,” Ehrlich said.
Silver Sprocket Publishing, meanwhile, will continue. The company’s next release is scheduled for June, Ehrlich said.