Houston Republic

After nearly five decades, a storied Houston bookstore is closing its doors, largely due to the sharp decrease in trade during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The River Oaks Bookstore on Westheimer, which opened in 1974, will close at the end of the year.

In a post on social media, Whitney Andrews Corson, the store's events coordinator for the past seven years, said she was "heartbroken" over the decision.

"More than just a job, the Bookstore – and helping to run it – became not only a passion and a calling, but a family and a second home to me as well," Andrews Corson said. "The pride and joy I feel for the work I do for this place and these people is immense.

"After nearly 47 years in business, River Oaks Bookstore will close at the end of this year. When our doors close, a huge part of my life – all of our lives – will close with it. Yes, I am heartbroken. Yes, I worry about what comes next. I worry that I will never find another job that fulfills me or brings me the kind of pure joy I feel going to work every day at this bookstore.

"It is a part of this community. It will remain forever a part of the history of this city. For nearly five decades, it has served as a gathering place for people and ideas, for friends and neighbors, writers and readers. A gathering place for books, and several generations of people that have loved not just the books but the place as well."

The bookstore was founded by, among others, Jeanne Jard, who still works in the store though the day-to-day operations were passed to her son Michael Jones and his wife, Josi.

In an illustration of how the bookstore is so embedded in the city, the Houston Chronicle cited the story of a woman in her 90s being one of the oldest regulars. She came to the store every day for decades and spent the afternoon reading.

But that business all but ended with the pandemic, and attempts to keep going by delivering books and organizing curbside pickup only delayed the inevitable.

Sales at independent bookstores have crashed 65% since March, according to the preliminary figures issued by the Census Bureau, the Chronicle reports.

Many such stores depend on older - more vulnerable - customers and therefore are particularly susceptible to the impact of the pandemic. Houston's sprawl is also an issue as stores like River Oaks have little foot traffic and depend on its customers traveling to the outlet for books.