Final chapter for Libertyville children's bookstore

A year after new owners purchased Libertyville's Crocodile Pie children's bookstore and saved it from going under, the shop is once again preparing to close.

Co-owners Amy Moran and Kim Zizic decided last week to shutter the store after months of unprofitable operations. Its last day will be Aug. 14.

Moran blamed the economy for the store's troubles.

"People either don't have the money to spend or they're being cautious - and rightfully so," she said Wednesday. "We have a great client base - people have been very supportive. But they just don't have the funds that they spent before."

Moran and Zizic bought Crocodile Pie, which is in the Cambridge Plaza shopping center on Milwaukee Avenue, last August from founder Kim White. White had announced in May 2008 she was leaving the book business to spend more time with her family.

Story-time sessions, craft sessions, birthday parties and other events drew kids and parents to the store, but they didn't generate enough sales to keep the store afloat, Moran said.

"It was never phenomenal, and it just fell from there," she said.

The windows of the store now are decorated with "sale" signs. A small sign at the cash register lets customers know about the store's unfortunate future.

Longtime customer Erin Landmeier called the store's impending demise a big bummer.

"It's a big loss to Libertyville, and to all of our little ones who have enjoyed coming here for many years," she said.

Fellow customer Jacque Foster was saddened by the news, too.

"This is one of the nicest bookstores I've ever been in," said Foster, who lives in Oklahoma but was in the shop Wednesday to buy books for her grandchildren.

A going-out-of-business sale is under way. Items are reduced 10 percent to 50 percent, Moran said.

A final storytime is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Aug. 14. The store will close for good at 6 p.m. that day.