Is the large bookstore model broken? That's one way to interpret last week's news that one California icon will close—the 5,000-sq.-ft. Dutton's Brentwood Books in Los Angeles—and another—Cody's Books on Fourth Street in Berkeley—will relocate and cut its footprint by nearly 40%.
“Neighborhood bookstores with roots and ties in a community are doing well,” said Hut Landon, executive director of the Northern California Independent Booksellers Association, “the smaller, 2,000—3,000-square-foot stores, in the million-dollar range.” He sees large independents as anomalies in today's market and is optimistic about the Cody's move. “I'm greatly encouraged that they're downsizing, cutting expenses and addressing some of the issues that put them in the hole,” said Landon.
Of course the old saw about location, location, location continues to hold sway, along with its retail corollary—the importance of owning your building. On its Web site, Cody's blames “skyrocketing rent” for the closure of its 10-year-old, 10,000-sq.-ft. Fourth Street location. Its 22,000-sq.-ft. San Francisco store closed last April, just two years after it opened; its 50-year-old flagship store shuttered the year before that. “There are exceptions, but as a general model in this country, the days of the large general bookstore that offers both depth and breadth is not a functional model anymore,” said Cody's manager Melissa Mytinger.
She looks to the new Shattuck Avenue store, which will have a No Fooling Grand Opening on April 1, as both a “homecoming” and a “revitalizing” of Cody's. “History, politics, current affairs and literature, including memoir and classics, have always been our bread and butter,” Mytinger said. “We have a real focus on toddler ages at Fourth Street. That's going to change. We'll still carry books for younger kids, but they'll be evergreen titles and the cream of the fresh books.” Since the new store is just one block from Berkeley High, the store will add a YA section. It will also stock younger and edgier nonbook offerings to appeal to teens.
Dutton's troubles, too, stem at least in part from its location, including that of its ill-fated 8,000-sq.-ft. Beverly Hills store, which racked up a debt of more than $500,000 largely in conjunction with its closing in late 2006. Another contributing factor, according to the announcement posted by owner Douglas Dutton on the store's Web site last week, was uncertainty about Dutton's future in the Barry Building under new owner Charles Munger.
Dutton, who says he has no intention of moving for the sake of moving, will close Dutton's on April 30, although he holds open the possibility of reopening and said that he has already fielded a number of calls from arts patrons offering to support a new venture. “I would only move if the situation were right,” said Dutton, who emphasizes that it must be feasible and viable. “I don't think we can't compete with Amazon or the Internet. There is still that social aspect and that agora of ideas in a bookstore.”
Munger's spokesperson told PW that the April 30 closing date is Dutton's choice and that he will pay Dutton's debts of $550,000 with “no strings attached.” Moreover, he is committed to maintaining a bookstore in the Barry Building, although no decision has been made as to what that store will look like, beyond the fact that it should have a strong children's section.
While California's book community has been shaken by the impending demise of a favorite bookstore dating back to 1961, some stores have successfully made the transition to a new site. Books Inc., with 11 stores in California, moved out of the Stanford Shopping Center in Palo Alto, where it had been for half a century, on January 31 and reopened on February 1 in the more community-oriented Town and Country Shopping Center, also in Palo Alto.
Changing demographics and new ownership of Stanford, which brought in high-end retailers, were behind the decision, according to Books Inc. president Michael Tucker. “Our author programs weren't working at Stanford,” said Tucker, adding that the move was necessary so that the store could continue to focus on book groups, literacy groups and local author events. The new 4,000-sq.-ft. store is typical of other Books Inc. locations, which scaled back two decades ago when chain superstores began moving into California. “In this area, we can't afford to pay the rent on anything more than 4,000 square feet,” he said. “Our payroll costs have gone up significantly. And you don't need to stock every book. Now everything's ordered electronically. You can get what you need the next day.”
Other stores are expanding, like 11-year-old Skylight Books, which is adding a second storefront. “My goal is to be open before Book Expo,” said general manager Kerry Slattery, whose 2,000-sq.-ft. store was starting to feel squeezed by trying to do receiving and returns on the selling floor. The new addition, which she calls “Skylight Books Next Door,” will have a back room and 1,400 square feet of selling space. Slattery is planning to move Skylight's film, theater, art and architecture sections there, along with magazines.
