Kwirkworld in River Park to close

Kwirkworld, the River Park store selling novelties such as neck ties for dogs and Darth Vader purses, is closing.

Owner Kirk Psenner says he plans to close the 5-year-old store in mid- to late-March. He is returning to selling real estate in Fresno.

The Fresno Kwirkworld was successful, but weighed down by the Folsom store, which closed recently, he said.

“When I look at the economic picture, it’s the difference between just skating by and going back to my passion that I was hugely successful at,” he said.

Psenner originally made money during the real estate boom in Southern California that he used to open the Kwirkworld stores.

He has been working with Fresno Modern Real Estate, a company that sells mid-century modern homes and others. Kwirkworld general manager Tracy Tosta will join him.

You can see the store’s statement about the closure on its Facebook page.

Kwirkworld had other locations over the years, including one in San Luis Obispo and Sierra Vista Mall, and the temporary stocking stuffer store called The Stuffer in Sierra Vista Mall during the holidays. All have closed.

The store still has plenty of merchandise, including from the Folsom store, to sell.

“We love Fresno,” Psenner said. “It’s been so good to us. ... River Park has been a wonderful place to have a store.”

This story was originally published February 11, 2015 at 10:52 AM with the headline "Kwirkworld in River Park to close."