I'm sorry to bring you gloomy news two days in a row, but this is an important story - Canada's oldest bookstore is about to be closed in 8 weeks.
Cheryl Kaye Tardif reported earlier today in MyNews.in that The Book Room, a bookstore in Halifax, Nova Scotia that was founded in 1839, is expected to clear out inventory and close its doors for the final time at the end of March 2008.
The president of the book room, Charles Burchell explained in a news release the reasons behind this step: "Changing times and market conditions have necessitated our decision. The coming of big-box-bookstores with their large inventory at discount prices; the expansion of books into grocery and drugstores; the ease of ordering books at discount prices over the internet and the dual pricing of books with higher selling prices in Canada than in the United States have made operating a profitable independent bookstore in Canada extremely difficult."
It's very sad to see any bookstore that needs to close its doors, needless to say a 169 years old bookstore, which as Mr. Butchell said became an institution in Nova Scotia. I think that the lesson we can learn here is the urgent need to support local independent bookstores, which are a vital part of any local economy, supporting both cultural life and regional sustainability. We cannot afford to lose more institutions and I truly wish that eventually we won't need to lose this one as well.
You can read the articles and the farewells of readers on the book room website. Your can also take a look at the store in this video from The Daily News in Halifax:
Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris
Eco-Libris: plant a tree for every book you read!
1 comment:
Surely some philanthropist could take over this bookstore? Or cultural money could be found to help fund its sustainment? Is there not a historical society, building fund, or something?
Rhetorical -- I am sure the money is out there, and it could be done. But is there anyone to do it?
Christa
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