Dark Delicacies, "a beacon for California horror fans," will close April 5, SF Gate reported, adding that the bookstore "is more than just a Southern California storefront selling ghoulish souvenirs. It's been a destination for film buffs, horror genre diehards and celebrities from across the macabre spectrum for decades."
"We've been open for 30 years, and I could have happily died right here," said co-owner Del Howison, "but my wife Sue wanted to have a life--whatever that is."
He and his wife, Sue Howison, married in 1995, a year after opening their first store. Recalling the early days selling at a comic book convention in a Glendale hotel, he said, "She was into horror too, mainly books, and I had DVDs and music, some comics, that kind of thing. And we did quite well. Then one day, I was driving down Magnolia Boulevard in Burbank, and I saw a place was for rent. I drove home and said 'Honey, I bought our first store.' "