R.I.P. Bailey/Coy
We're terribly sad to relay that the much-loved Capitol Hill bookstore, Bailey/Coy, will be closing its doors at the end of November after 26 years of service, announced owner Michael Wells yesterday.
As Wells states in the press release, "This has not been an easy decision for us. We have struggled, along with independent bookstores across the country, for the last decade to keep our bookstore profitable and healthy. The economic downturn of the past year, combined with the rapidly changing world of bookselling, has led us to believe that this is the most responsible decision."
Very sad news...though we all buy books from cheaper venues such as Amazon at one point or another, our heart breaks a little each time we hear that a great local bookstore is closing, or otherwise hurting due to the economy.
Wells also mentions the possible move of Elliott Bay Book Company to Capitol Hill, but states that this was not a deciding factor in the close. "We wish Elliott Bay Book Company and all Seattle independent bookstores the best of luck in this challenging time," he says.
So why is Bailey/Coy closing before a potentially good Christmas? Besides having declining sales for the past couple years, the store spent the last year paying off much debt to book wholesalers and banks, and is in a better spot to close now than they would have been previously.
Starting this week, the bookstore will be knocking all of its prices down by 20 percent until the end of the month in a closing sale, and book cards and gift certificates will only be redeemable during this time. If you're interested in showing some support and saying your final goodbyes--now is the time.
Wells relays his condolences and gratefulness to the community by saying, "We would like to thank the customers and friends who have come through our doors in the last two decades. Our bookstore is a community that includes all of you. We urge you to continue to support independent business and especially independent bookstores. It makes a world of difference. Again, thank you to all of our customers, to the hundreds of authors who have read in our store, to all of the Pacific Northwest bookselling community and book lovers everywhere. We are honored to have been part of your lives."
Bailey/Coy, we will miss you greatly; this was a goodbye we weren't yet prepared for. Thank you for always having a superb staff on hand and an awesome selection of books to choose from. We're glad that you have been a part of our life.
