Mother of Mercy--is this the end of Gotham Book Mart?

[Eve]

I’ve always said that I’d leave New York if the Algonquin and the Gotham Book Mart closed. Looks like I better start packing:

The Gotham Book Mart, one of New York’s best known literary landmarks, was saved from closing only two years ago by two white knights who swooped down at the last minute and arranged the purchase of a $5 million building that would house its collection of rare books. Now, the 86-year-old bookstore is in trouble again. In the last six months, the owners of the building have moved to evict the store and its owner, Andreas Brown. Friends of Mr. Brown’s say the building’s owners were only trying to help Gotham get on its feet. They say that Mr. Brown, who hoped to buy the building eventually, fell behind on his $51,000 monthly rent, and owes at least $500,000 in rent, taxes, interest and other fees.

Mr. Brown has kept the warrant for his eviction quiet by putting up signs on his storefront at 16 East 46th Street, implying that he is on vacation. The signs read, “Wise Men and Women Gone Fishin’,” a sly reference to the bookstore’s famous motto, “Wise Men Fish Here.” He has also resisted displaying a red-lettered poster marked “Marshal’s Legal Possession.” But the marshal’s sign was taped to the front door last week, and its telltale presence was reported Monday in The New York Sun. In the meantime, those who walk by the store see the security gates pulled down. Sometimes, the lights are on and people can be seen inside, but the store is closed.

[WordMan]

Wow - bad news.

[mack]

Too bad.

The old 47th st. store used to be on my rounds back when I had the free time to do rounds. I didn’t even know they moved.

[Eve]

From today’s Times:

For Coliseum Books, a Manhattan bastion of independent bookselling since the early 1970’s, the curtain is apparently closing on a second and final act. “I believe we will simply disappear,” George S. Leibson, a founder and co-owner, said yesterday in the store’s second-floor office on 42nd Street opposite Bryant Park, as he composed a poster to inform customers that Coliseum had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Technology and business scale have conspired to choke off many of the independents. In Manhattan, Coliseum has been among a handful of survivors, and now joins an endangered list that includes the 86-year-old Gotham Book Mart, which for financial reasons faces eviction from its space at 16 East 46th Street.

Damn. I’m part of the problem, too, of course: I admit to occasionally buying books from Amazon or Barnes and Noble . . .

[Zabali_Clawbane]

Oh no! That was a dream of mine, to be able to shop for books in those places, but especially The Gotham Book Mart.

$51,000 monthly rent

That’s a lot of money!

[Eve]

I am really distraught–Gotham is my favorite bookstore in the world. They always treat me like a star, putting my books in the window, asking me to sign them, “what are you working on next?” They specialize in new and used theater, film, art and literature books, and are one of those great old-fashioned books-piled-everywhere stores, with three cats living there.

I e’d Flip, the manager there, and asked what the latest word is.

[Zabali_Clawbane]

bump Come on, I know there are more readers out there who will at least commiserate a little. This is sad news.

[Bryan_Ekers]

Sounds like they weren’t prepared.

[mack]

@Zabali_Clawbane

bump Come on, I know there are more readers out there who will at least commiserate a little. This is sad news.

I could bewail the demise of these fine stores but I’m probably exhibit A for why they’re going down. Yes, I enjoyed many hours in Gotham Book Mart and Coliseum (and East West and McGraw-Hill and the old B&N at 5th and 18th and Doubleday on 5th near CP) and walked out empty-handed very often. That doesn’t help.

Also, I haven’t been in those stores in 5 years or so. Browsing through bookstores is just not something I do anymore for various reasons. Maybe it’s a dying pastime. If I need a book now there’s a B&N or Borders within spitting distance that I can dash into.