Lena Robinson started patronizing Karibu Books in Security Square Mall as soon as it opened in 2006.
And so when the Maryland-based, African-American book chain announced suddenly it would be going out of business and closing its Woodlawn store yesterday, Robinson made it a point to stop by.
"I'm going to support them, even on their last day," Robinson, a 28-year-old Catonsville hair stylist said, as she scooped up a few discount novels and a CD.
"It's hard to find black bookstores," she said, telling managers of the store, "I'm sorry to see y'all go."
The sentiment was expressed again and again yesterday by dozens of patrons, some of whom traveled from as far away as Washington to buy the remaining stock of books.
The e-mail and posting on the company Web site Tuesday from Simba Sana, Karibu's founder and chief executive officer, announcing the closing of the 15-year-old chain came as a surprise to many, including employees and those within publishing circles.
"It's really sad to see," said Dawne Allette, a children's book author based in Northwest Baltimore, who had hoped her six books would eventually be sold by the chain. "It was a source of pride to see a black bookstore that was supposedly thriving," Allette said.
After opening in 1993 in a kiosk at Prince George's Plaza and a pushcart at the former Landover Mall, the company steadily added locations over the years.
In an interview with The Sun last week, Sana blamed management problems for the financial plight that led to the closing of the chain.
The last three of the six stores - at Bowie Town Center, Iverson Mall and The Mall at Prince George's - are to close Feb. 10.
Karibu had been one of the sponsors of the Baltimore Book Festival and was a frequent stop for local and national authors, including Chris Gardner, author of Pursuit of Happiness, which became the basis of the Will Smith movie of the same name.
At the Woodlawn store, The Wire actor Felicia "Snoop" Pearson, who wrote the memoir Grace After Midnight with David Ritz; comedian Mo'Nique, who wrote a cookbook; and fiction writer Kimberla Lawson Roby all had been guests.
"It was fun," said Cynthia A. Coates-Harris, who managed the Security Square location with her identical twin, Sylvia L. Coates.
The sisters, both of whom have full-time jobs, took their positions with the chain in part to pay for their own book habits.
