Garrison Keillor is selling Common Good Books, but isn't leaving the Twin Cities

Garrison Keillor is selling Common Good Books, his latest step in separating himself from the city of St. Paul. This past fall, he put his nine-bathroom Summit Avenue mansion up for sale.

But the former host of "Prairie Home Companion" has no plans on retreating full-time to his Manhattan pad.

He confirmed Wednesday that he and his wife moved to a two-bedroom apartment in Minneapolis, giving a significant portion of his old home library to his alma mater, Anoka High School.

"I am 76 and working on a memoir and a musical," he said in an e-mail. "I was looking to shed some freight."

Giving up Common Good, which opened in the Cathedral Hill area in 2006 and later moved to its current location in the Macalester-Groveland neighborhood, appears to be part of Keillor's downsizing.

"I'm hoping someone will take over the bookstore who has time to devote to it," he said. "Amazon is slowly taking over the world but it's fun to resist, even in a losing cause."

Common Good, which has hosted everyone from David Sedaris to Hillary Clinton, is the largest independent bookstore in St. Paul. It was also an opportune spot to glimpse the famous owner, who often jotted down limericks on the whiteboard behind the checkout counter.

Keillor spent much of the past year lying low, following allegations of inappropriate behavior in the workplace. Minnesota Public Radio cut ties with its most celebrated personality in November 2017. And "Prairie Home Companion," the radio show inherited by Chris Thile, subsequently changed its name to "Live From Here."

But the broadcasting legend has been testing the waters. He performed several sold-out shows at Crooners Lounge and Supper Club in Fridley during the past couple months. He also reunited with several "Prairie Home" regulars, including sound-effects wizard Fred Newman, for a Dec. 2 show at Merkin Hall in New York City.

Neal Justin • 612-673-7431 Twitter: @nealjustin