Granada Books Closing

“It is what it is, as sad as it is,” said Sharon Hoshida, co-owner of Granada Books, which will close May 3 after less than two years in business.

The State Street store — hit hard early on by bad floor management that soured customers — launched a crowdfunding campaign two weeks ago to raise $50,000 and keep it afloat for the rest of the year, but fell $30,000 short by the March 30 deadline.

Contributors can reclaim their donations, and any money left over will be put towards workers’ salaries, Hoshida explained. “We really appreciate the support we received from the community,” she said. “I don’t want people feeling guilty about taking their money back.”

Starting April 3, all Granada Books inventory will be 40 percent off, and the shop will still honor its scheduled April events — First Thursday on April 2 with Spacks Street Poets, Poetry Zone on April 11, a Santa Barbara’s Woman’s Lawyers event on April 22, and Bookstore Day day on May 2.

Hoshida said she has no regrets, but can’t help be disappointed that the store has to close just as sales were picking back up. “The pendulum was starting to swing the other direction, but that’s the way of the world. That’s our reality.” In talks to maybe create some kind of co-op bookstore in the future, Hoshida is still holding onto a bit of hope that a big donation may save Granada Books.

“I’m keeping my little fingers crossed in the background and thinking, ‘Wouldn’t it be nice if there was a guardian angel somewhere?'” she said. “But that only happens every once in awhile, and we’ll make the best of it while it lasts.”