Next bookstore down: Mrs. Nelson's in La Verne

After 28 years in La Verne, Mrs. Nelson's Toy and Book Shop will close in January, the store announced in a note that cites the inability to compete with online sales and big box stores. "We’ve been open for 28 years and it’s a wonderful time we’ve had, but it’s time to close now,” owner Judy Nelson told the Daily Bulletin. "Retail in general is changing quite a bit. A lot of purchases are going online and the book business in general is changing too; we can see it’s a trend and we’re not able to keep up.” The store appeals to children and their parents and has been a popular place for young readers to meet authors.

Only the retail store on Bonita Avenue will close. Mrs. Nelson’s Book Fair Company, which produces book fairs for schools, and Mrs. Nelson’s Library Services, which handles book ordering and textbook rebinding, will remain in business.