Albany store Book House of Stuyvesant Plaza is downsizing, due to the economy and online competition. They will close the children’s store next door, Little Book House, and move children’s books into the back area of their main space. In an email the owner also cited “the relentless impact of Amazon on the publishing industry.”
Seattle’s Wide World Books and Maps, saved from closure in February 2016 by a crowd-funding campaign, will leave its current location by the end of April. In an email announcement, the owners noted that they are exploring options including changing locations, becoming web only, or partnering with a cafe. The announcement explains, “While it was a good rally and we’ve been able to keep the store open for another year, we’re just not able to sufficiently turn the store around in its current location.” Over forty years, the store has had a number of different owners and three different locations.
The Booksmith in San Francisco “has decided to become an overtly political organization — and from its sales receipts, it appears the surrounding neighborhood is appreciative,” the San Francisco Chronicle writes. Co-owner Christin Evans tells the paper, “The idea is to turn to books to feel empowered, to feel like we can do this, we can resist.”
Great American Group announced that it is conducting the liquidation of the 237 Family Christian book and merchandise stores across 36 states. The store closing sales started February 25, with prices initially discounted by 30 percent.
Facebook had deleted the years-old page for Oak Park, MI’s Book Beat with no warning, but then restored it late Monday and apologized for the inconvenience. Facebook messages had claimed the page violated intellectual property rights held by another company, though the bookstore has been in business for over 35 years and their Facebook page is over ten years old.