Sad news for lovers of locally-owned bookstores: the Olsson’s location in the Lansburgh building in Penn Quarter is shutting down. We had heard rumors this was in the works for a couple of weeks, especially after so many author events appeared to be moving to the Dupont Circle location. The email below was sent out to the Olsson’s list on Monday.

Dear Friends,

After 15 years in The Lansburgh building on 7th Street NW, the Penn Quarter branch of Olsson’s will close on Friday, June 27, 2008. The landlord has other plans for the space. We would like to thank the many loyal customers who have shopped with us throughout the years. It has been a wonderful experience to serve this community, and we look forward to continuing the relationship with you at our five other locations.

Olsson’s was a pioneer in the Penn Quarter, with a number of other local independent businesses, years before it became the thriving downtown we have now. We have enjoyed being a part of this evolving neighborhood. We are proud of the staff at Olsson’s, Footnotes Cafe and our many customers, including the Shakespeare Theatre patrons, who have supported us. The store endeavored to offer a unique selection of merchandise, staff recommendations and a prestigious nationally known reading series, which featured such authors as Tom Clancy, Al Gore, General Wesley Clark, Jamie Lee Curtis, Goldie Hawn, Nick Hornby, Dinaw Mengestu, Anne Rice, Alexander McCall Smith, Cornell West, and Tom Wolfe, to name just a few.

Olsson’s staff remains dedicated to selling books, and we remain firmly committed to the special ambiance that independent, neighborhood stores can provide. We understand the store will be missed and we are actively pursuing a new location, so if there are any interested or knowledgable parties out there reading this, please send us your suggestions. It will, however, take a special person or situation in this market to step forward to support the diversity and value that a bookstore can offer.

You, as loyal customers, are the key to the future success of our stores. We ask you to support us at this location one final time. Please shop our Sale. In so doing, you will be investing in the future of an independent bookstore, and give us the chance to thank you again for your support.

Thank you,
Olsson’s

Everything at the Penn Quarter location is being advertised at 50-75 percent off between now and June 27, so stop by soon to grab up some great deals. Anyone have any suggestions for where Olsson’s should relocate the store? I was thinking U Street could really use a full service book store — it’ll be a while before that retail development on the northeast corner of 14th and U will be finished, but perhaps Olsson’s could find a home there?