Fiction Addiction, Greenville, S.C., which Jill Hendrix founded in 2001, is closing. In an announcement in the store's newsletter, Hendrix called it a "bittersweet decision" that she has given "considerable thought. Our lease expires at the end of May and I began considering in 2024 whether to renew it or not."
Hendrix noted that in the past few years, "I've become less involved in day-to-day store operations as I accepted new challenges such as leading bookseller mastermind groups during COVID and becoming a founding dean for the Professional Bookseller School." She has now been offered a full-time job with MVB US, which owns Pubnet and Pubeasy and whose parent company is a subsidiary of the Börsenverein, the German book industry association. Hendrix added that her husband, Lee, who has been store manager for some time, "is nearing retirement and looking to reduce his hours over the next year or two as he eases into a well-deserved life of leisure (excluding the many more walks our dog will now expect). Although we will miss our customers terribly and we know you will miss the store, we have decided that closing is the right decision for us personally, no matter how bittersweet."
The store has begun a closing sale, with all books discounted 20% and gift items 25%. Hendrix anticipates closing to the public after May 17, in order to clear out the space by May 31.