Charlie’s Attic will be holding a store closing sale through the end of the month. (Photo by Nick Sestanovich)

At the end of the month, Benicia will have to say goodbye to one of its local businesses. After operating for six years, Charlie’s Attic on First Street will be closing.
Named after owner John Sigler’s dog Charlie, who he calls a life companion, the antique store tried to simulate the feeling of walking into an attic of undiscovered treasure and began its existence in 2011 as a little shop on the 500 block of First Street. The store quickly grew out of that space and moved into the Tannery Building. It spent two years there before moving to its current location at 632 First Street.
“A great joy of owning a shop like Charlie’s Attic has been hearing the stories of our customer, faithful and fleeting,” Sigler’s daughter Kristina said in a farewell statement. “A Nat King Cole record with a song that played during a first kiss. Ceramic dishes with mushroom detailing that lined the childhood dinner table. An avocado green washing machine that dare younger siblings to stick their arms inside. Every day, we could expect to hear something new – and these stories were always told with a glimmer of remembrance in the eye.”
John Sigler said the first year of business was good for Charlie’s Attic. Things soon changed after that honeymoon period. According to Sigler, sales have been declining for the past two years. He said he has noticed a decline in tourism as well. He thinks that the shrinking of tourism in Benicia lead to a dynamo effect of declining sales which ultimately caused the closing of his store.
“I think there are not enough people in town to keep these shops going,” Sigler said. “You can only sell a certain number of people down there things. They don’t need things anymore, and when the tourism slows you’re in trouble.”
Charlie’s Attic will be open on First Street for possibly another month before it has to close. The store is currently offering sales on everything in its inventory, many of which are being offered at discounted prices. Sigler plans to move his business online to sites like Craigslist.
“I meet a heck of a lot of nice people down here and that’s what I’ll miss the most,” Sigler said “I live downtown so I’ll still see a lot them, but it’s been a pleasure to meet them.”
Charlie’s Attic is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesdays through Sundays.

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