

Photo via bitchcakes

Less than two weeks ago the first rumors surfaced that Pearl Paint on Canal Street was shuttering, and by the end of last week the store did indeed shut its doors. It was a tearful goodbye, according to the Tribeca Trib.

The building that housed the beloved art supply mecca—the company's flagship, which opened in 1933—went up for sale recently, with a listing for the nearly 12,000-square-foot space noting that it could be delivered vacant. The listing also declared that "the building offers a great opportunity for a developer, investor and/or user."

When we called earlier this month, a manager told us he had no knowledge of the store closing, but added, "I do know we are offering a 30% discount on everything in the store." After that, a number of employees were let go.

The store's phone is still working, but there was no answer today. It's unclear why exactly it was shuttered, or if another, smaller Pearl will open elsewhere in the city—multiple calls to the Pearl Company headquarters in Florida over the past couple of weeks, and today, have gone unanswered.