After nearly half a century of hosting authors; selling books about anything and everything, from Texana to espionage; and serving Tomâs âfamousâ lemon bars
, made by a team member, the Westheimer stalwart River Oaks Bookstore will permanently close at the end of this month.
With its elegant, burgundy walls and stuffed bookshelves that almost touch the ceiling, it has been a refuge for generations of book lovers all around Houston. However, with increased popularity of online shopping, along with the devastations the pandemicâs wrought on independent businesses, the bookstore is not alone in its situation.
River Oaks co-owner Michael Jones says even before the pandemic, business had been on a steady declineâas it has been for most brick and mortar and local businessesâdue to the ease and expansion of online sales.