Venturoso's final chapter

An enjoyable charm radiates through the air inside Venturoso Books. Maybe it's the homemade "fiction" signs on the wall or the smell of old literature. Whatever it is, it will be missed.

"I just can't put anything into it right now," said owner Marion Bear.

Bear underwent quadruple bypass heart surgery about a month ago. Along with her husband, Ron, she decided it was time to close the downtown bookstore after 16 years in business.

While vacationing in Wales, Bear had sudden chest pains. During the hospital visit - three days before returning to Canada - she was told something was wrong.

Upon returning home, a reluctant trip to the doctor revealed more pain.

"I almost didn't bother until my husband yelled at me," said Bear with a laugh. "So I walked over there and had chest pains walking over to the community clinic."

Shipped to Saskatoon for the surgery, doctors told Bear how fortunate she was to be alive.

"I found out one half of my heart was 100 per cent blocked and the other side was 90 per cent blocked, so I was very lucky I hadn't just dropped dead," said Bear.

Bear returned to work on Tuesday, but just doesn't have the energy, and won't for a while, to keep the store going.

With progressive sales, she said she hoped to put a dent in the store's massive inventory before the Dec. 24 closing date. The store is stocked currently with about 35,000 used books and several hundred new ones.

Anything left over would be given away or donated.

With independently owned bookstores dwindling across the province, Bear said she believes the local arts community will miss the store.

"Do you have any idea what interesting people live in the Prince Albert area?" said Bear with a grin. "Amazing people are here. It's an astounding place."

The store's closing is not the final chapter for Bear and her husband.

"There will be something new," said Bear. "Did you know in the Victorian age that they used to make furniture out of papier-mÂchÉ?"

jpage@paherald.sk.ca