Fargoans will soon have one less place to buy their superhero pulp fiction, Beanie Babies and Yu-Gi-Oh! cards.
Lantern Comics and News will be all but permanently closed Friday, as attempts to sell the downtown fixture have fallen through.
"I'm sad to see it go, but I guess that's the way it has got to be," said owner Kevin Bergson.
Bergson said it became clear recently that a prospective buyer didn't have the financial backing to buy the store at 520 Broadway.
Thursday will mark the last regular day of business, he said. After that, the shop will be open Thursdays and at times during the week while he and employees pack up merchandise.
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"We've got comic books to get rid of," he said.
Bergson started the store in 1983 while attending North Dakota State University. He decided to get out of the business to pursue a career as a civil engineer.
He announced in late February that he was giving up the comics and collectibles shop but still held out hope for a buyer.
Street work along Broadway cut into his profits the past two years, Bergson said. Also, the market for comics, collectibles and games has declined, he said.
Readers can reach Forum reporter Helmut Schmidt at (701) 241-5583
