The new year will witness the closure of antiquarian bookseller Bygone Books of Nanaimo, B.C. Owner Joel Johnston will retire on Jan. 6 after 15 years at the corner of Commercial and Skinner streets, reports Nanaimo Daily News.

With 25,000 books in stock and less than a month to get rid of them, Johnston has slashed prices up to 75 per cent and is seeing a boom in sales. Indeed, the Daily News describes customers as “carting away boxes of goods.”

Also quoted in the story is local antiquarian book dealer Stewart Cartwright: “‘It’s very sad to see him go,’ … Cartwright said, stacking up several hundred books for purchase.”

Johnston says his first act after closing shop will be to take an extended vacation.

Corrected on Feb. 8, 2012: The original version of this post incorrectly stated that Bygone Books was going out of business, not closing as a result of Joel Johnston’s voluntary retirement. Q&Q sincerely regrets the error.