A beloved downtown bookstore in Georgetown says it may be forced to close for good after years of nearby construction projects have taken a heavy toll on business.

Lark and Owl Booksellers, which opened in 2018, quickly became a staple for locals looking for a cozy spot to connect over books and community events. But co-owner Jane Estes said that charm has been overshadowed by constant roadwork that has blocked off access to the shop for much of the past two years.

"This is a place where people can come every day and find something joyful, find somebody to connect to," Estes said. "But people literally could not get to us."

When construction began two years ago on several projects near the store, Estes said she and the team were ready to adapt.

“Sidewalks were torn up, the driveway was torn up – that driveway, that driveway,” Estes said, describing what West Sixth Street looked like at the peak of construction.

She said the scope of the construction turned out to be much more disruptive than expected. According to Estes, three projects — a private building, a city parking garage and construction on a nearby bridge on Austin Avenue — all overlapped, limiting access and visibility to the business.

Estes said sales dropped immediately by 30 percent the week construction began on the bridge. She said business has never fully recovered. The bookstore has since reduced staff hours, cut inventory, and slashed nearly half its operating budget.

“We’ve been in survival mode for three years, and when you’re in survival mode, you cannot be strategic. You can’t grow, and you can’t serve your community, ” Estes said.

The city of Georgetown said in a statement it highly values unique businesses like Lark and Owl, which is a big reason the City is making continued investments to improve sidewalks and utilities throughout Downtown Georgetown.

“The City will do all it can to see Lark and Owl, and similar businesses, succeed in downtown Georgetown. We appreciate their investments and appreciate all our community does to support their success as well,” a spokesperson for the city said.

Estes said the store now needs to raise $100,000 to stabilize.

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