My favorite local book store made the painful decision to close one of its locations.
It wasn’t a location I visited often because the reason they’re closing is the same reason I didn’t go there much.
Traffic.
You could turn in, but not out easily.
You cannot cross the street and drive straight to their lot, you have to turn right then cross three lanes of insane traffic.
I get a literary thrill from cozying up with a great read but I’m not risking my life for written adventures.
Schuler books, half off. Not going.
And I know I could save money and pick up some great reads by patronizing the sale.
But I’m not doing it. Call me foolish. Don’t care.
The ones combing through the deals are the same who’ve never popped in on a winter’s night, to peruse and ponder and delight in a beautiful brick-and-mortar store. They’re like long-lost relatives picking through an estate sale, and I just don’t want to be part of it.
I’ll say good-bye from here.
“There is no real ending. It’s just the place where you stop the story.” ― Frank Herbert
Oh, that’s sad. You know the saying: “Location, location, location”, and it sounds as though theirs was definitely not a good one. At least this was one you didn’t visit often. (I’m guessing there’s another one near you in an easier-to-maneuver location…?)
I know. It really is a beautiful store and I am tempted to go wander around. But I despise crowds and I know what I’ll face. And .. it’s just so sad 😦
I have another location to visit that is fairly close to my office and I can escape there at lunchtime once in a while … and they have a cafe with yummy food, bonus!
MJ
So sad, MJ. But glad you’re gonna play it safe! Wise, my friend!
Hugs from Ecuador,
Kathy
Are we becoming those older folks who bemoan change? Lord, I hope not.
Bests to you my friend.
MJ
Location is so important! I love book stores, but I won’t risk my life and limb to get there!
Agree 100% and the owners soon realized the same. Still — sad for the employees and the rest of us, even if I didn’t go there often.
Hope you’re doing well Sandi-girl! Staying cozy in FLA
MJ
Warm as a bug in the rug here in Florida… I’m thinkin’ we might have us some storms this summer due to the warm gulfstream!
It is saddest for the employees that are losing their jobs ;(
Indeed, for those losing a job, that’s the saddest of all 😦
Glad you are staying warm there, Sandi-girl, we had snow today and T-storms predicted for tomorrow. Mother Nature is mercurial this year!
MJ
She is a force to be reckoned with! Hoping y’all get a break real soon!
That quotation from Herbert is a great one. Won’t it be fun to see where this story begins again?
Indeed it will 🙂
I will still drive right by B&N to visit another location and sell my used books, buy more (new AND used) and leave with a skip in my step and a smile on my face 🙂
MJ
All of our bookstores closed locally except for two B&N locations and even those have stripped inventories. I know I’m part of the problem as I have a Kindle but I love the brick and mortar too.
I just don’t think we can have both … ~sigh.
MJ
so sad – my favorite used bookstore, which i’ve blogged about before, moved out of the huge victorian house they were in for years into a small little shoebox of a building. just not the same at all.
I remember you blogging about it and I nearly drooled with bookstore envy. If I won the lotto and could live anywhere and do anything (I’d still work at something) I think I might have a bookstore as you described with a nifty little cafe with groovy tunes, yummy soups & sammies and cozy chairs for reading and conversation. Don’t need a beach, give me what I just described 🙂
MJ
Nirvana. Me too.
c’mon over and be in charge of the sammies 🙂 extra cheese, please!
MJ
Deal!
Nope. Don’t need to be part of the story making a right and crossing three lanes. Better to be safe and wise. Sad, tho’ that we’re hearing of so many bookstore closings.
I agree; like when I lost my favorite disk jockeys a few weeks ago. These changes interrupt my normal sense of “all is well” and I can’t say I like it. I think I’m heading to Curmudgeon-ery or something!
MJ
At first I was thinking this was a sad story of a book store closing… like “You’ve Got Mail.” But at least it’s just a location and not the entire business.
Sounds like you’re wise to avoid the big clearance sale.
Thankfully it’s just one location, but I’m afraid it’s a sign of things to come. I’m hoping not … but.
MJ
I am with you MJ and so true….so sad….and I love your header:) Where did you take the photo? Our rather small town anymore has a Safeway for groceries and Walmart for everything else….it is slowly dying and many many local stores have gone out like the book store….makes me seriously sad….sending hugs:)
The header I found on google.images. I don’t know where it is, but it inspires a bit of wanderlust in me!
My home-town country store is a gas station-post office-hardware store-grocery store where you can buy produce, romance novels, tools and car freshener all in one. I think that’s what they have to do to keep going … Hugs back to you
MJ
The small town that I went to school in, 8 miles from the ranch, has a post office but on limited hours to try to keep it open. We used to have a gas station, candy, books and ice cream when I was growing up and it left town about 25 years ago…we had a small grocery store but it left town too….we do have one church, the school, post office and elevators, lots of elevators:) The town with the Safeway is 20 miles away one way. One of the ranches we managed was 40 miles from a town and we had a post office, cafe, bar, books and mail all in one like yours close by to us, about a mile.
I’m visiting my hometown in May and I always make it a point to visit the local store 🙂 It’s 9 miles from our ranch, and another 22 miles past that is the “big” town with a supermarket! Good stuff,
MJ
I am excited for you, as visiting is always good stuff, good times and take your camera…I would love to see what your scenery is and also the ranch you grew up on:) I sometimes go two weeks without a town trip…and I love Costco as I can stock up:) Happy Weekend!
It always is good, I am visiting Mom over Mother’s day! And I always take my camera 🙂
MJ
I love a great book store! As much as I enjoy the convenience of digital books, nothing takes the place of the real thing. And most of all, a good local book store is a treasure. Sad when one of the independent book sellers closes a store. Maybe they’ll reopen in a better spot! ~ Sheila
Agreed!
The good news is that this is one of several locations so I have options to still visit the other stores 🙂 MJ
That’s sad the little store is closing. There are a few locations around here that have had various occupants, the ins and outs just aren’t a good thing. Sometimes it’s in a good location, but then widening of the boulevard creeps into their space and makes it unsafe to get into or out of.
Yep, that’s the case here. It’s just a bad location and that + heavy traffic mean it’s risky to try and get in there. Too many just don’t bother,
MJ