The Blackbird men's clothing store, located on 2208 NW Market St, will be closing up shop after nine years in business so owner Nicole Miller can focus on wholesale sales of her more popular products, including Blackbird Incense Pyres, Beard Oil and Black Square Soap.

Blackbird will be having a "beers and tears" event at the store on Sunday, July 7, 5 p.m.-10 p.m.

In addition, Miller said she will be having clearance sales to try and clear the store by the end of the month.

According to a statement she sent out, the decision was not easy to come by. She reflected on her time owning the business:

"When I started Blackbird, menswear was in a deep rut, but the signs of change were starting to spring up. I had to search far and wide to find clothing that fit, fabrics that would wear well and designs that would move us into the future without breaking the bank or our sensibilities. It wasn't easy. Sales reps frequently said I wasn't buying what all the other stores selected, but that didn't bother me. In no way did I expect that people would take notice of my store, that Blackbird would win menswear awards, and that as I traveled the world, kids I met in other stores would freak out when I said that I owned a store in America called Blackbird. The people were always the best part of this adventure. The mission started out being about the clothes but quickly the people were what mattered most; to see them as who they are, to inspire them to take one step further than the last, and to let them know it was okay to be themselves. I didn't know I would affect people. I didn't know how much you people would affect me."

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