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City Books, like many other small businesses, is in dire straits right now. Over the last 2 ½ years, our sales have dropped more than 35% while, of course, our underlying costs have risen. This store has never been a money-making machine, nor was that ever our priority. I like being on the sales floor; I like knowing my customers and recommending just the right title for them. Kirby thrives on selecting perfect cards and dynamite gift items for the store and then using her considerable talents to arrange those items in appealing displays. We like being able to run this business and still maintain a level of balance in our lives. We enjoy hearing about your children, cats or dogs or simply what’s going on in your lives.
Some of you have expressed your concerns, and they are appreciated. Others have commented on the declining number of books on the shelves and want to know if we are going to stay in business. Our standard answer is “We are here today.” But if you want us to be here for many more todays, we need to be honest about this situation and say that quite frankly, it is in your hands how many more days we are here. If we are no longer important to you or to the quality of life in this neighborhood, then it is indeed time for us to close and move on.
However, if you think we still can contribute in a positive fashion, let us know by shopping here. Ordering books that we don’t have in the store is never a problem, and special orders usually arrive within a week. Ordering gift items or cards is a bit harder but we always make the best effort to meet your requests.
If we stay in business or not, it has been our privilege to be a part of this community and your lives for the past 12 ½ years. And for that opportunity, please accept our gratitude.
Cindy Russell & Kirby McCoy
City Books
1305 Madison Street
Seattle, WA 98104
206-682-4334
As an independent retailer I notice a lack of ongoing coverage of retail activity. Sure things get coverage when they open, when misfortune strikes or when they close. Reading this blog over the last month I have definitely seen a lot of love shown towards local retailers like Bliss and Bailey-Coy. So why wait for these types of events to share our love for what makes our local shopping experiences unique to our neighborhood?
There are dozens of retail gems that are just waiting to be discovered in the diverse community that is Capitol Hill - and First Hill. I am proposing a companion column to the Food & Drink Notes called New in Store. Retail establishments could submit info that I would compile and post on a regular basis. Maybe you are teaching a knitting class, have a new Tarot reader in the store, or got some cool new products in that you know people would love if they only knew about them.
If this has been done or tried in the past - I apologize. I have been reading this blog faithfully for the last couple of months and haven't seen anything like this. If you are interested leave a comment.
