Visitors to the Dog Eared Books Castro website have seen a curious message on that page lately. “There will be a gargantuan, shocking, and totally EARTHSHAKING announcement about the future of Dog Eared Books' Castro branch in the VERY near future!,” their About page says.

The earth-shaking announcement has arrived. The shop’s home page now says “Yes, the rumors are TRUE. Dog Eared Books’ Castro St. branch is closing, and starting on September 15th in its place, with the same staff and stock, will be FABULOSA BOOKS!!! (fear not, your Dog Eared trade slips & non-digital gift certificates will be honored at the new store.)"

Broke-Ass Stuart was the first to pick up the news, and quotes a release from new owner Alvin Orloff, a 20-year employee of the Castro location.

“We were determined to survive because a neighborhood without a bookstore is like a day without sunshine,” he said. (Dog Eared Books had turned to a GoFundMe campaign during the pandemic, which did not make even half its goal, but the shop did receive substantial PPP loans.)

“Nothing is more cheering than to see visitors from less tolerant parts of the globe exclaim with wonder at the sight of our gigantic wall of LGBTQ+ books,” Orloff said in the release. “We’re very mindful of the fact we’re occupying the same space as A Different Light Books, which served queer San Francisco during the difficult years of the 1980s, 90s, and early 2000s.”

Fabulosa Books already has a website. This transaction will not affect the original Dog Eared Books on Valencia Street, which will retain its same current ownership.