After the museum board voted to close the shop, store manager Pat Laufman and dedicated volunteers worked around the clock to box up the remaining inventory, which was picked up on Aug. 13.

According to Laufman, the museum was supplementing the store's rent on and off for months, forcing a decision as to whether it made fiscal sense to keep the store operational.

The store, which was originally located in the Pruneyard Shopping Center, was an additional source of revenue for the museum and sold memorabilia relating to Campbell history along with consignment items.

When it was located in the Pruneyard, Laufman said the store did quite well, but she also noted that the store was operating rent-free in that location. After moving to The Courtyard the store continued to draw customers, Laufman added, but there were a number of antique stores downtown, which helped bring in the foot traffic. During the last few years most of the antique stores have left the downtown area and this change in tenants has significantly reduced foot traffic into the museum shop, she said.

Laufman, however, said prior to the store's closure, everything was selling at 50 percent off so "we did really well and sold a lot of our stock during the last month."

With the store's closure, all unsold consignment items went back to their owners and the remaining museum inventory will now be sold at the Campbell Museum, on Central Avenue, or the Ainsley Carriage House store located off Grant Street.

Campbell Historical Museum Director Gloria Hun Choo said, "Basically the stores are simply consolidating from three to two." The two stores will focus on items more unique to the museum and the time period relating to the city's years as an orchard industry.