NEW YORK (AP) -- One of the city's oldest Spanish-language bookstores is closing. The Daily News reports that LibrerDia Lectorum will close its West 14th Street storefront on September 30th.
The store, which is now owned by Scholastic Company, has been on 14th Street for 47 years. It says it will shift its retail operations to the Internet.
Landlord Kenneth Gutierrez, whose father founded the shop, said he is "very upset" that a huge company like Scholastic wouldn't come up with a little extra cash for a new lease.
Gutierrez told the Daily News that he offered a new lease with rent that was 30 percent below market rates, but was turned down.
Since it opened in 1960, Lectorum has served as a vibrant mecca for Latino culture and has hosted writers like Isabel Allende and Eduardo Lago. The neighborhood has gentrified over the years and Latino foot traffic is way down.
Lectorum's management considered moving to a different location, but decided to shift to an online format instead.
1010 WINS Boroughs & 'Burbs: Manhattan
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