Do either of these first two signs have anything to do with the activities of this blog?
Downtown St. Louis is a blend of little victories and defeats. The city's finest independent bookseller, Left Bank Books, opened a branch there a little over five years ago. Ongoing conversion of commercial buildings into apartments and condos was bringing population. The store's rent was subsidized at first but that couldn't last forever. The lease was up this spring and sales didn't support the expenses. They even abandoned the shelving. Another empty storefront downtown.
Downtown St. Louis is a blend of little victories and defeats. The city's finest independent bookseller, Left Bank Books, opened a branch there a little over five years ago. Ongoing conversion of commercial buildings into apartments and condos was bringing population. The store's rent was subsidized at first but that couldn't last forever. The lease was up this spring and sales didn't support the expenses. They even abandoned the shelving. Another empty storefront downtown.
9 comments:
Pity, but its a sign of the times.
Sadly... RIP.
That's a shame.
Bookstores are going the way of the dinosaur, as are commercial publishers. This is the era of the indie author. Since bookstores rarely carry indie books, they're hurting.
So many bookstores are closing....so sad. I will miss them for sure.
The loss of a bookstore is a grievous one.
It is very sad but very common. Not only are independent bookstores struggling in the age of Amazon and the Kindle, but many downtown retail spaces don't get the support they once got from downtown workers and residents.
It's very, very sad but it's everybody's fault. I still make the effort of going to bookstores and it's a pleasure.
Sucks man. Loved this bookstore. Spent good portions of paychecks here. dang!
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