The sign at the Barnes & Noble bookstore in the Bronx says, "Open." But not for long.
The clothing retailer Saks Fifth Avenue has signed a ten-year lease for the space, and this Barnes & Noble will close in December.
Incredibly, the Barnes & Noble is the only general interest bookstore left in the Bronx, which is home to about 1.5 million people.
Two years ago, the owners of the Bay Plaza shopping center where the store is located said they would not renew its lease.
The two sides just could not agree on the terms. A petition circulated, the Borough President got involved, and the lease was extended.
But the reprieve was temporary. There would be no happy ending.
"Wow," said one neighborhood resident. "I really, really feel bad for the community. I think it's a shame they're closing."
Local politicians like Assemblyman Michael Benedetto are hopeful this is not the final chapter for the bookstore.
"After a phone conference last night however, Barnes and Noble said this, they are committed to coming back to the Bronx," Assemblyman Benedetto said.
But in a statement to NY1, the company made no guarantees, saying:
"We remain committed to working diligently with local officials to reopen a store in the Bronx in the future as we finalize our new store openings."
Assemblyman Benedetto says the company's promises do not go far enough. He's launched a second petition drive urging Bronx residents to keep the pressure on the bookstore chain.
"We're going to reach out to all the schools churches and community organizations and citizens in general here in the Bronx to write letters to Barnes and Noble telling them to keep their promise," Benedetto said.
The Bronx Borough President says he will do the same. He says he wishes the company would make a stronger commitment, but is confident Barnes and Noble will do the right thing.
"I thought that his comments yesterday and his commitments on the phone yesterday were honorable."