Sorry to see a bookstore go... but... Shakespeare & Co. is a chain just like Barnes and Noble. There already is a Shakespeare & Co store on the Upper Westside of Manhattan. There are also at least two other long standing REAL independent bookstores within a 10 block area from the 105th store as well as Columbia University's bookstore. In my opinion, it was poor planning to open that store at this location. Not only that, opening a chain store of this size only drives up commercial real estate rent to make it more difficult for a mom & pop store to open and survive in this area - such as the doomed result of the closing of Silver Moon Bakery.
Thanks, Jeff. You're right. It never made sense to me why they would open there, but I am still sorry to see it go. I'm not sure though that it having been there will have any effect on commercial rents. Many stores that close don't get a new tenant for years. I would be very surprised that with so many long empty retail places within 3 or 4 blocks that any new store will take that space anytime soon -- at any rent. Property owners seem content to let these spaces go empty for years, such as the former Duane Reade at 106 and Broadway. If its departure drove up rent at that location, no one is paying it.
And, yes, there were three Shakespeare & Co.'s. As I mentioned, this one and the one on the Upper East Side are being closed. Employees seem to believe (I heard this a few times) that the one near Lincoln Center is also closing.
Great read of a sad story. I'm not helping much. I buy used books unless they're newly authored. I buy those from Amazon and I need to stop!
Sorry to see a bookstore go... but... Shakespeare & Co. is a chain just like Barnes and Noble. There already is a Shakespeare & Co store on the Upper Westside of Manhattan. There are also at least two other long standing REAL independent bookstores within a 10 block area from the 105th store as well as Columbia University's bookstore. In my opinion, it was poor planning to open that store at this location. Not only that, opening a chain store of this size only drives up commercial real estate rent to make it more difficult for a mom & pop store to open and survive in this area - such as the doomed result of the closing of Silver Moon Bakery.
Thanks, Jeff. You're right. It never made sense to me why they would open there, but I am still sorry to see it go. I'm not sure though that it having been there will have any effect on commercial rents. Many stores that close don't get a new tenant for years. I would be very surprised that with so many long empty retail places within 3 or 4 blocks that any new store will take that space anytime soon -- at any rent. Property owners seem content to let these spaces go empty for years, such as the former Duane Reade at 106 and Broadway. If its departure drove up rent at that location, no one is paying it.
And, yes, there were three Shakespeare & Co.'s. As I mentioned, this one and the one on the Upper East Side are being closed. Employees seem to believe (I heard this a few times) that the one near Lincoln Center is also closing.
Thanks Ron. We really enjoy your work! Marcia & Greg
Hey there! Thanks. Hope all is well. Go Huskies!