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So long, Pages
July 9, 2009 - 10:12am
Sad news out of Toronto today. After 30 years, Pages book store is closing its doors.
http://torontoist.com/2009/07/last_page.php
It definitely doesn't come as a surprise, but regardless, it's sad. I've been to a number of events held by Pages (This is Not a Reading Series), so it's sad to see this store become another statistic of an independent bookstore unable to compete against the Indiblows of the world.
This might be a good thread to discuss independent bookstores in general. Among my favourites are Octopus Books (Ottawa) and Bryan Prince Bookseller (Hamilton).
No way! :( I had no idea.
That's really sad.
I loved shopping at Octopus when I lived in ottawa 85-87. It has certainly stood the test of time.
The only reason I saw it coming was because I've stumbled upon the Facebook group dedicated to saving it. It really is so sad. It was always my go-to for independent magazines while in Toronto.
I love that store! I can't believe it is closing. We're losing a great place.
From what I understand they're planning to keep their reading series running, which is at least a tiny bit of good news. The reading series sponsored Shameless Magazine's book launch a few weeks back, which was a wonderful event.
This really is too bad. One of my favourite things in the world to do is to spend an afternoon in a local bookstore, combing the shelves. The sad part is, more and more of these stores are disappearing. I always had positive experiences with the staff at Pages, chatting about books and magazines and local events. Sad to see it go.
This is very sad news for Toronto and independent bookstores in general.
The only good news that I can glean is that since they aren't declaring bankruptcy that this is about how far out the current rents are based on their finances and their older, lower rent.
I have to quote this comment from the torontoist site:
No, doofus, it's not a premium to support a local bookstore. Crapters forces some prices artificially low due to horrendous business practices with their suppliers.
Soon there will be even fewer, and perhaps after than, no more independent bookstores? It's a devastating idea for ideas, writing and books in Canada.
These artifically low prices don't only affect independent bookstores, but independent publishing companies as well. I work in children's publishing and it's impossible to compete within the trade publishing industry when Indiblow is selling children's hardcovers for $3 each.
I went downtown today, saw a matinee of the new Harry Potter movie at the former Paramount, and we decided to go to Pages after.
It was so sad there. Seeing Pages like this, it broke my heart.
Signs all over saying they're closing, and a sale of course, 10% off all books. Shelves nearly bare, since they sure aren't doing any more ordering. I wanted to say to the guy at the counter how sorry I am, but actually couldn't say it as I knew I would start crying.
Their small press section was unique, and they could have it because of their fabulous space. I don't know any other bookstore that has such a section.
The woman in front of me in line made a joke of "If you want to give me more than 10% off I won't object." It was all I could do to not lecture her on how the book business works, and refrain from strangling her.
So sad.
Not to be overlooked, one of the best: Furby House Books.
You could drop into the bookstore after coming to Estival on Saturday August 1st. A totally unique event not to be missed. Mike Yap is one of a kind, and we're so lucky to have him.
What a terrible thing. Hold on to your local independent bookstores, folks, and tell them that you love them. Because they are not long for this world.
Aside from the obvious lie that grad school books are cheaper at Chapters, etc. (did this poster even look at independent bookstores? What were they studying? A post-teenage hermeneutics in Stephanie Meyer and J.K. Rowling?), another pet peeve of mine is the 'poor graduate student' canard. Look: if you can command a $20K+ loan at the drop of a hat, guess what: not poor.
I've recently become enamoured with Bibliophile on Commercial Drive in Vancouver, my new home. But it's a second-hand bookstore which seems to be the only form in which independent bookstores can survive at all these days. Maybe if they added more floors to their building? I don't like to enter a bookstore unless it has at least four floors. That way I know I'm getting the best selection. Of wok sets and bamboo place mats.
Their stuff was overpriced but they had things you couldn't get easily elsewhere. Another dead cultural canary in the Canadian coalmine.
Sorry to rain on this pityfest, but Mr. Glassman has other places to move to in Toronto that are not as expensive as Queen & John (a few of which were mentioned by some commenters on the NOW site.) If he gets off his butt and looks for them, he can set up Pages there.
As for the poster's financial situtation: when you are in their shoes, you can speculate about how much a book is as much as you want-until then, please remember this little factoid; If you're going to talk shit, at least get your facts straight.
Marc is a friend of mine, I ran into his brother scouting possible locations months ago.
Moving costs, it costs up front, it costs in losing customers, both in simple change and in new location draw. Location matters to booksellers, the Bakka 2nd store they opened on Yonge north of Bloor went bust. John Rose could keep one store going on Yonge St., the new owners have moved back to Queen St. (west of Bathurst).
Frankly, the transformation of Queen W over the last 30 years is not a socially desirable result.
I'm sorry if I hit a nerve, SC. For the record, I am in their shoes. And I lobby extensively for lower tuition, to protect the eroding grant and funding infrastructure for the arts, and for the value of a humanities education in general. And I don't see how any of that is at odds with my previous post.
Absolutely. I think this quote from Glassman on Pages' website is very telling:
Thanks for your comments jrootham and Catchfire.
As a former bookseller I will share that monthly income is based on what is known in terms of sales and projected sales, and a new location would not have knowable/predictable cash flow/income levels for at least a year or two. Despite the facts of name-recognition and that some people would certainly follow Pages wherever it went.
In the past 3 years both Another Story and This Ain't the Rosedale Library moved from longstanding locations to new ones. But the difference is both of their moves were planned, scheduled, budgeted for (including of course some down time for packing, moving and unpacking). Bookstores have such tight finances that this would have had to be planned and researched meticulously beforehand, unless the rent was so much cheaper in the new locations, but still, it's costly.
Pages has known about the rent increase for a while, and though I don't know Marc personally, I assume he did all the steps to look for new locations.
And Marc is right about the neighbourhood. Friends of mine say they now have no reason to go to that part of Queen Street any longer.
Thanks for the clarification and heads-up, Maysie; I thought that there was some hope for Pages. Now I know how dire things are, and I apologize again, this time abashdly.
For myself, I'll still be going to Queen & John, mostly to go to the movies at the Scotiabank Theater and also to get stuff at the Silver Snail, but I won't really enjoy it though, because of what's happening. As I said before someplace else, I wish that the recession could have destroyed the housing/building/rental industry, but that won't be happening, it seems, at least not in Toronto.
I will make an effort to go to Pages and pick up a book or a magazine sometime this Friday or Saturday, just as a tribute to them.
Just to be clear, Pages is closing. They have not declared bankruptcy, like many other independent booksellers in Canada have done in the years since the Crapters encroachment. My guess is that Glassman simply assessed the financial viability of moving and it came up on the "not so much" side of the ledger.
I second that Wilf. I've become quite the Port Hope fan over the past few years, and Furby House is always one of our stops when we're there.
Just reactivating this because the day is drawing closer.
It is a big loss.
I'm not familiar with this one, but another independent bookstore closes its doors.
Vancouver's Duthie Books to shut down after 52 years
Long known as 'stuffy books' Duthies expanded to answer the perceived threat from Chapters, then contracted to one store then stagnated.
Questionable buying decisions such as tonnes of children's books in a neighbourhood with relatively few children, high prices when Book Warehouse a block away offered 20% off new bestsellers, whoever was steering the ship just had no clue.
Better than most people would have predicted...
Opening a book store in 2012?
Another sad loss... Mother Tongue Books, Ottawa's feminist bookstore, will be closing after 18 years.
Help us wind down the store
It's not necessarily closing, but After Stonewall, Ottawa's queer bookstore is going up for sale.
End of an Era – Important Message to the TWB Community
I have thousands of them in my house that are alive and well. Some I would like to give to a good home. They are all spayed and neutered.
Good to see you Sven.
Well, shit.