Brad Krusky remembers when Monkeyshines Children's Books used to be bustling with a steady flow of customers, most of them families. "A lot of people would tell me later that they had these fantastic memories of going into Monkeyshines and sitting there and going through the books," Krusky said. "They had such fun memories of taking their kids there and making it a part of their upbringing.
" But those days are over — in Marda Loop, at least. "We had a really, really bad year," Krusky said. "A year and a half ago or so, the business was going down a lot and none of our costs were going down.
" As one of Calgary's few independent bookstores, Monkeyshines has been a community mainstay in Marda Loop for the past 25 years. But after a year and a half of construction — part of the city's Main Streets program — and high property taxes, the shop is closing its doors and moving to Bragg Creek. "We live in Bragg Creek," Krusky said.
"We had decided that if we were going to try and continue with operating the store, that maybe the best thing that we should do is bring it closer to home." Marda Loop residents concerned about tree removals but experts say it's not as bad as it seems Timeline for Marda Loop construction extended into 2025 The goal of the Main Streets plan is to revitalize some of the city's oldest neighbourhoods, turning them into business and community hubs with an emphasis on walkability. Plans for Marda Loop's rejuvenation began in 2016, with construction starting .