Hard times have forced the Anchor Room, a Christian music and bookstore in Fort Wayne, to liquidate its stock and re-evaluate its business model - but not close completely, the owner said this morning.

Owner Pauline Holsopple said sales at the current location at 4530 Lahmeyer Road have dropped dramatically in the last few years, especially since Sept. 11, 2001.

To try to salvage the business, the store began a liquidation sale last week, and on Monday, the Higher Grounds Café closed. The sale will continue until everything is gone, but the store's Internet presence will remain.

“We're evaluating the business to see if we can stay open or not,” said Holsopple, who owns the business with her husband, Paul. “We've hung on longer than we should, hoping things would turn around.

“We do need to pay our bills. We want to come out of it on top,” she added.

Anchor Room opened in 1969 in the basement of the Holsopples' home on Trier Road. From there, it moved to Maplewood Plaza where it stayed for the next 28 years. In 1998, as sales were booming, they built the location on Lahmeyer where they have been ever since.

Pauline Holsopple said at the very least they will have to close the current location “unless a miracle would happen.” There is a possibility of opening the business in a smaller location, but Holsopple said they are also exploring the sale or lease of the business.

“We're really not sure what's going to happen with the business,” she said.

Holsopple said they should have a better idea of the future in a month or two, but it will really depend on how well the liquidation sale does and if Internet sales continue.

“We're hoping to know really soon,” she said.

Holsopple was heartbroken as she thought of the future of the business that she and her husband have grown to be their ministry in the community.

“It's the hardest time to do this,” she said. “We just appreciate all the friends and acquaintances we've made over the years.”