LimeWire is closing its online music store, the LimeWire Store, at the end of the year. The company has also abandoned efforts to launch a new, legal music service that it had spent much of the past year building, according to All Things Digital.

"LimeWire Store is no longer accepting new customers," says a notice on the website. "Existing subscribers will not be renewed or charged but can still sign in to redeem any remaining song credits." The company has also e-mailed its vendors that the store will close on December 31, 2010.

After a four-year suit brought on by the RIAA on behalf of eight major music publishers, LimeWire was officially shutdown two months ago. Federal Judge Kimba Wood found the company, LimeWire LLC, and its founder, Mark Gordon, guilty of assisting users in committing copyright infringement on a "massive scale." Damages expected to total at least $1 billion will be assessed when the case resumes in January 2011.

It looks like the company wants to cut down all of its remaining assets in advance of next month's court proceedings, which are going to determine how much the company owes the major music labels. LimeWire laid off at least 30 percent of its workforce following the October court ruling.

Here is the e-mail LimeWire sent to its partners regarding the closure of its online store:

November 30, 2010
Dear Partners-

It's with great disappointment that we must cease LimeWire Store operations on December 31, 2010.

For nearly three years, LimeWire Store has worked with forward-thinking partners to grow our catalog, build a customer base, and create new revenue streams. Although we can't continue, we are grateful for the opportunity to work with all the artists, labels, and content providers that have made LimeWire Store possible. We're extremely proud of the things we've accomplished together.

LimeWire Store will cease accepting new customers on November 30, but will remain on-line through the end of December to allow current subscription holders to redeem their credits.

We will be in touch shortly regarding delivery stoppage, agreement termination, and final accounting.

Please reach out with any questions you have.

Thank You,

Tom Monday
Director, Partner Relations
Lime Wire LLC