Susan explained that they had vacated the previous (terrific) location because of falling revenues and rising lease payments. But because the previous landlord had refused to let them out of the lease, and was now suing to recover the remaining $350,000, she was forced to declare Chapter 7, which is total absolute liquidation.

A real serious bummer. Checking out all the new games and gadgets at CompUSA, then walking over to Mitsua for an incredible lunch of authentic Japanese noodle soup, then hanging out at SDTB to check out all the new books, was definitely my favorite way to spend a geekend, and now it's gone forever.

There was no other store like it in Southern California, as far as I can tell. I'll miss the big comfy chairs, the big kitchen-style tables, the friendly and very knowledgable staff, the Linux setup workshops, the hot dog and soda vendor, and most of all the rows and rows and rows of computer books. To my thinking there will never be anything like being able to actually open a book and look through it before deciding whether to plunk down $30 or $60 or more.

Goodbye SDTB. You will be sorely missed.