San Antonio bookstore on Broadway to close after over 50 years

A longtime San Antonio bookshop is set to close its doors next year after the property owner sold the building along with another on Broadway. Antiquarian Book Mart’s owner Robert Kellel told the San Antonio Business Journal that he plans to close the book store in May 2024 after nearly 53 years after he sold the property, according Bexar County property records. 

The deed, signed December 8, says the property was sold to a local developer named Glenn Huddleston who is the owner of Harper-Hudlleston Inc. On top of the Antiquarian building at 3127 Broadway, San Antonio, Texas 78209, Kellel also sold he neighboring building at 3207 Broadway, which is occupied by Half Price Books. Kellel also sold the parking lot behind the Antiquarian off Avenue B, according to records.

Bexar County records did not include details on the sale, but all three properties were last valued at $1.83 million, according to county appraisal district. Half Price Books has been at that Broadway location since 1978, according to the Business Journal. Whether it plans to continue leasing the space under the new owner is not known. MySA reached out to Half Price Books for comment. 

Antiquarian Book Mart was founded by  Frank Kellel Jr. in 1971. Frank served in the Army for 23 years during which he collected rare books, according to a 2016 MySA story.  Robert, Frank’s son, told MySA that his father had over 20 thousand volumes in his library when his family settled in San Antonio. Antiquarian was recently featured on our list of best bookstores in San Antonio.