> I had a couple of people/companies ask to buy it and a few more wanting to advertise in it.
I'm sure it depends on the size of your readership, but in my experience these kind of offers are a drop in the bucket compared to the salary of an expert programmer - let alone someone who's had their company acquired.
I also felt that, just like you recognise that the blog boosted the reputation of your startup, that if a blog with my name on it started pushing snake-oil product or making sketchy SEO posts, that would have the reverse effect.
I'd leave it exactly as it is. If you want to pick it up again in a few years time, you can.
Yes, it was actually what got us the initial waves of high volume/quality signups to our product, so it was indeed important for the company.
If the information is useful, leave it up because it is useful and the web needs useful information.
If it is useful and you sell it, it will become less useful.
If it is useful and the cost of keeping it online is onerous, perhaps ask for advice here in this thread.
If it isn’t useful, it doesn’t really matter what you do and there’s nothing wrong with taking a willing and informed buyer’s money for something useless.
Good luck.
[edit] I don’t think “wrapping it up” matters much to your readers. People are used to serial creative work dying if for nothing else but Youtube.
Write a wrap up if you want to write a wrap up. It is ok to just move on.
I think it would be kind to make a post explaining the blog is ending, even if you choose not to explain the exact reasons.
Good advice, and you're right that people deserve it. I never did it because I never formally decided to stop. I just assumed there'd be some form of continuity...
I get that. I suspect that’s how most things end.