It is officially the world's oldest comic store that has stayed in business continually until today. Or rather, it was.

Fantask in Copenhagen opened in 1971, before I was born. Selling comic books, science fiction books and games, the store is expected to close in June.

A motley chapter in Indre By's store history seems to be over. The legendary comic book Fantask , which has also been a center of science fiction literature and games, cannot cope

Marit Nim who ha owned the store for the last ten years – and worked there for twenty-four blames an ageing – and dying – customer base, and a failure to foster a younger reading base over that time. She tells the paper Berlingske that "we have had difficulty recruiting new customers because we have not had room in the premises to offer role-playing equipment or to hold magic card tournaments."

The statement, send out to customers states

"It is with great sadness that we have to announce that after 47 years, Fantask may have to close. We have long been running a deficit, and unfortunately it looks as if we, despite several initiatives, cannot reverse the downward spiral itself. We have had to believe that the competition from other stores and the internet, as well as some customers who seem to have mved on, all in all mean that the quantity we sell is no longer covers what it costs to operate here in St Peter's Strait.

They do however, hold out hope to keep the store operating online or elsewhere.