Fig Garden Bookstore is closing after 25 years of ownership by the same family.
Owner Jean Shore says she wants to spend more time with her family - her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
The closing leaves a physical void with an empty store front.
But more importantly to customers, it leaves a void in personal service from a business that’s been part of this community for decades.
“Everything is personal, I guess that’s why it’s such a blow, it’s personal,” said Jean Ferrari who’s been shopping at the store for decades.
People filled their arms with books and gifts. Everything is marked 50-percent off.
Shore says the economy wasn’t really a factor in her decision to close. But it’s been challenging.
The owner of Posh boutique at Fig Garden village says it’s tough for small business.
“It's becoming more and more difficult to be a local owner because people think nothing of jumping on the internet or jumping in their car and going to San Francisco or Beverly Hills or now Las Vegas and buying,” said Cy Cerro, owner of Posh.
Other locally-owned stores in Fig Garden are closing their doors - Warner Company jewelers, which has been in Fresno for generations, and newer kid on the block Domblu.
Jean says she’s happy to have been part of Fig Garden Village and the community.
“I've been able to support the artists, I've been able to support the authors. I've been able to do things for the community and that's been my pleasure to be able to do that,” Jean said.
Fig Garden Bookstore is open from 9-6 Monday through Saturday, 11-6 on Sundays. The store is expected to close for good sometime in January.
