AUBURN – Barring a rush of new customers, the Book Burrow will close at the end of February.

A sale to clear the store of books, jewelry, fanciful toys and oversized stuffed animals starts today.

The three-year-old bookstore didn’t bring in enough people, Laurie Haynes St. Pierre said Thursday. She owns Book Burrow with her husband, Dan.

A move last March from Great Falls Plaza to a store along Center Street increased visibility but sales stayed flat, Haynes St. Pierre said. “Until they actually get their foot in the door, they don’t know what they’re missing. It’s the ambiance, it’s the feeling of the place.”

The independent book shop faced competition from the Internet, other local bookstores, large area retailers and even Marden’s, which recently advertised a new load of 50,000 books.

Haynes St. Pierre said she tried filling the shop with “things you wouldn’t find in a bookstore” and frequently hosted community events like Harry Potter release parties and author signings.

“We love” local authors, she said. “Everybody has a book in them. It shows that it can be done, and it’s pretty inspiring.”

The Book Burrow was a family operation, with she, Dan, her daughter, Jessica Haynes, and one part-time high school employee.

Haynes St. Pierre said she’ll miss hearing customers’ stories. She also lamented the loss of local stores like hers, The Slamma and Cafe Bon Bon. The two eateries closed in the last month.

“Shop in your local independent stores, and we will have a much more interesting community,” she said.

There’s a chance the store will reopen in a different location in either Lewiston or Auburn, Haynes St. Pierre said, but that depends on customer interest.

– Kathryn Skelton