KINGSTON — Kingston may someday have the visitors to support a cooperative art gallery, but not in 2010.

That’s the message of Kingston Art Gallery members who say the lack of customers at their State Route 104 location is forcing their move to Poulsbo at the end of February.

The gallery will reopen March 1 as the Front Street Gallery in a space next to Hot Shots Java.

“The problem in Kingston was we just didn’t have the sales, that was the bottom line,” said tile artist and gallery Vice-Chair Dawn Henthorn. “We were at a point where we couldn’t hold on to our artists and it was a struggle to recruit.”

Henthorn said the gallery was averaging about 10 walk-in customers a day and sales had fallen off in recent years. Sales in 2009 were down 50 percent from 2008, she said.

The 5-year-old gallery has been housed in Cleo’s Landing, up the hill from the ferry terminal. Its 20 member artists hail from across the county but most live in the Kingston area.

Print maker Marilyn Liden Bode is one of three gallery members who will not make the move to Poulsbo. Bode said the gallery could have stuck it out in Kingston longer to see if sales would pick up as the economy improved.

“They know I’m disappointed and heartbroken,” Bode said. “Kingston needs us and we’re moving away too soon.”

The prospect of more browsing shoppers and a broader base of businesses was the allure of Poulsbo’s downtown. The Front Street Gallery will join at least four other arts retailers on the town’s main street.

Mike Sipple, co-owner of Shorelines Gallery on Front Street, said his sales have been relatively stable but he has seen foot traffic take a dive since the economic recession began.

“That’s definitely down,” Sipple said. “Sometimes the streets are deserted.”

Still, the Verksted Gallery on Front Street greets 20 visitors on its slowest winter day, said Christy Camerer, one of Verksted’s 37 member artists. In fact, the gallery’s sales were up in 2009 and it has sold several large wall pieces this month.

Camerer, an Ollala artist and former member of the Kingston Art Gallery, said not everyone in the gallery scene is happy to see more artists moving in, but she believes the Front Street Gallery will only strengthen Poulsbo as a destination for the arts.

“I’m tickled, it’s going to compliment us,” Camerer said.

Henthorn said the Front Street Gallery will maintain a presence in Kingston. It will host its popular Slug Fest, a scavenger hunt for ceramic slugs this summer.

There was also a touch of good news for the Kingston Arts community this week. After a meeting Wednesday, the North Kitsap Arts and Crafts Festival board has decided to move ahead with its annual event in Kingston. The group considered canceling plans for its 51st festival because of lackluster volunteer support.

Festival President Evy Halvorsen Holstein said the group is still looking for more volunteers but she thinks they have the support to move ahead.

“I think we have enough new enthusiasm,” Halvorsen Holstein said.