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Toronto’s Dragon Lady Comics to close its doors

Just days after Quillblog reported on the troubles facing two Toronto independent bookstores comes word that Little Italy’s Dragon Lady Comics is closing its doors.

Torontoist writes:

According to manager Joe Kilmartin, a combination of factors led to the store’s demise, including a drop in foot traffic after repairs to the College Street streetcar tracks, an industry in flux, declining sales, and most directly, a recent increase in the store’s rent.

As of July 2011, rent was raised about 25%, meaning they’re now paying $5,200 a month.

Kevin Boyd, who broke the story on the Joe Shuster Awards website, writes that “Dragon Lady’s closing definitely affects most of us in the Toronto comics community because the store and the people [who] work there have had an impact on collectors, readers, creators, and even other retailers for over 30 years.”

A closure date hasn’t been announced, but Kilmartin says owner John Biernat hopes to move his business online instead of having a massive sale.