REGINA — After 33 years in business, John Kress is closing the Book & Brier Patch while the ink on the books is still black.
The owner of Regina’s largest independent bookstore said he and Sonia, his wife and business partner, have been under pressure for years from chain bookstores, big box retailers, Amazon and online sales.
What Planet Is This?! (archive) 
That is a shame. We like to blame big box stores from destroying local business. People from our community who live in it and support it. Easy to blame Chapters for destroying the Book and Briar Patch. But we really only have ourselves to blame. If we refused the marketing temptation of the big box stores and instead supported the local store things would be different. Yep. We are to blame.
LikeLike
It’s true. I just popped in there on my lunch and talked to some of the employees (and got a delicious inexpensive coffee treat while I was at it), and the last day is the 31st of July.
The owner says the big box stores like Chapters were a bad enough hit, but with so much of what used to be bookstore sales now being done online, little guys like B&B just can’t compete! It’s a damned shame.
LikeLike
Isn’t there some way for him to put his stock online?
LikeLike
Even if there were, sadly, I don’t think he’s interested. The only way that store would stay open is if someone had the money to buy it – and I’m sure no one is interested in that type of investment right now. Not to mention, that’s a prime rental spot. The property has already had tons of people interested in the location, so I have no doubt a new lease has already been signed.
LikeLike