Iconic Little Village bookstore Libreria Giron closing after 66 years, sister shop open in Pilsen

CHICAGO (WLS) -- After generations in Little Village, iconic bookstore Libreria Giron on 26th Street is closing its doors.

"There's magic in this store," said Patricia Giron Garcia, owner. "You know I want to retire. It's time to retire you know my parents have been here 66 years."

Garcia has spent years catering to Spanish-speaking readers and at the shop her parents opened 66 years ago, when access for immigrants to Spanish language reading was nearly nonexistent. Her family was even honors on the U.S. House floor this week by Congressman Chuy Garcia.

"My gosh my mom and pop must be jumping for joy because even the capitol knows them now! You know?" she said.

But even though the books are gone, the legacy will continue because Libreria Giron was more than just a bookshop; it was a place for people to gather and build community.

"We tried our hardest to have books for our community. So it's been hard but it's been a satisfaction that we've been able to bring all that to them," Garcia said.

But that legacy of bilingualism and the beauty of storytelling continues in the same community where Libreria Giron first started: Pilsen.

"There is no better way to stimulate your mind to stimulate your heart to stimulate your spirit through good reading," said Juan Mauel Giron of Giron Spanish Books.

Eldest Giron brother Juan Mauel Giron is committed to keeping his thriving Spanish language and bilingual book shop open.

"It is essential that our people our community, the Spanish language readers in general can come and find that resource. It enriches our culture. It enriches our heritage," he said.

He even sells wholesale to Amazon and Barnes & Nobel to service the Spanish language community across the country.

"The more book sellers we have, the more distributors we have, the more books that are out there the richer our community becomes