Jeff Ridgway is closing his bookstore on Antioch.
Jeff Ridgway, owner of Pacific Palisades only bookstore, will close his shop at the end of the month. Books are on sale: the entire selection is half off. Bookcases are also for sale at the store located at 15326 Antioch Street.
The store opened in December 2021, when Ridgway took over the store lease for Collections Antiques & Accessories. Martha Strang had owned the antique store since 1981 and decided to retire.
Ridgway, who had worked for Strang, was happy with expanding the shop into a bookstore for the community.
Then he said, “It’s a long-time dream come true, and my goal is to make this my happy forever-job — selling treasures to my neighbors.”
He continued to offer antiques, collectibles, and wide-selection of books, from historical to classics to children selections. His faithful companion, Abby, the rescue dog, was always on hand to welcome customers to the store.
But economically, the shop was not feasible.
Ridgway said, “The landlord has been great, letting me out of my lease. It was just too hard making consistent rent payments.”
A native of Sacramento, Ridgway received a bachelor’s degree in English at UC Davis and then followed his future wife, first to Whittier and then Pacific Palisades in 1992.
Although the marriage did not last, Ridgway became hooked on the Palisades. He became manager of Crown Books on Sunset (now Luxe Coffee), and when the store closed, he transitioned to help Katie O’Laughlin open Village Books on Swarthmore, where he became manager. The beloved bookstore became unprofitable when Amazon began selling books at discounted prices and people started buying digital editions at cheaper prices.
With this store’s closing, Ridgway said, “I want to send a thank you to everybody and all my loyal supporters, who made this bookstore so much fun for me.”
Residents are urged to stop by, find a book, say “hi” to Abby and give Ridgway and his store a goodbye.
Humphrey Bogart played the hero in Philip Marlow’s novels, which were sold at Ridgway’s bookstore.
Jeff Ridgway is a true treasure! He and his store will be missed!!
So sad – Has the world stopped reading books? Maybe that’s why so many children, teens and others have such low reading abilities and others view books as sources of information, history, imagination, insight, a place to escape to and challenge their minds and so much more. Thank you for trying and I hope you find another more receptive audience. You never know what you miss until it’s gone.
Sorry to hear this!