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Comments on: Another sad day for the book business in Calgary http://www.fairsfair.com/2008/03/16/another-sad-day-for-the-book-business-in-calgary/ "For Book Lovers" Fri, 18 May 2012 06:59:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.2 By: George Henderson http://www.fairsfair.com/2008/03/16/another-sad-day-for-the-book-business-in-calgary/#comment-29 George Henderson Sun, 29 Jun 2008 18:15:38 +0000 http://www.fairsfair.com/2008/03/16/another-sad-day-for-the-book-business-in-calgary/#comment-29 Thanks for your comment Jett ... and your kind words, Yes, I was cranky when I wrote the blog and I admit to still being more than a little bit perturbed the makings of a great bookstore is leaving Calgary but since my blog on the subject I have had a chance to talk with "cooler" heads who undoubtedly know more about the situation than I. Some people see the difficulties the book business in general is experiencing and can understand all the mitigating circumstances which went into the decision to leave Calgary altogether - there will always be others who see it as an opportunity missed because an initial decision which proved to be wrong was not revisited and led to another decision which may have been made in the heat of the moment. When a chain store in Chinook Mall is producing the top sales of any of its Canadian stores - we have to wonder what a real bookstore might be able to achieve if it was anywhere in the vicinity. Sadly, we may never know - but Calgarians and people in the Calgary area deserve better. A business catering to impulse buyers and not in a location to best serve its customers can expect difficulties - but when they choose to blame the customers for their mistakes ... well, Socrates' phrase "An unexamined life is not worth living" comes to mind. Respectfully, George Thanks for your comment Jett … and your kind words,

Yes, I was cranky when I wrote the blog and I admit to still being more than a little bit perturbed the makings of a great bookstore is leaving Calgary but since my blog on the subject I have had a chance to talk with “cooler” heads who undoubtedly know more about the situation than I.

Some people see the difficulties the book business in general is experiencing and can understand all the mitigating circumstances which went into the decision to leave Calgary altogether - there will always be others who see it as an opportunity missed because an initial decision which proved to be wrong was not revisited and led to another decision which may have been made in the heat of the moment.

When a chain store in Chinook Mall is producing the top sales of any of its Canadian stores - we have to wonder what a real bookstore might be able to achieve if it was anywhere in the vicinity.

Sadly, we may never know - but Calgarians and people in the Calgary area deserve better.
A business catering to impulse buyers and not in a location to best serve its customers can expect difficulties - but when they choose to blame the customers for their mistakes … well, Socrates’ phrase “An unexamined life is not worth living” comes to mind.

Respectfully,
George

]]> By: Jett Rink http://www.fairsfair.com/2008/03/16/another-sad-day-for-the-book-business-in-calgary/#comment-28 Jett Rink Sun, 29 Jun 2008 11:39:01 +0000 http://www.fairsfair.com/2008/03/16/another-sad-day-for-the-book-business-in-calgary/#comment-28 In fairness to McNally Robinson, they have not "taken the money and run". They could not make a go of their Calgary store. In retrospect, they used the same site selection they did for their other stores in Manitoba, Sask. and Toronto. Namely a downtown location. Calgary has a recovering Downtown core, but it is still a retail darkspot. Had they chosen a slightly more suburban location with on-site parking, things may have been different. To stop me from going off on a rant, I wont comment on "TheReisman" here. I love Fair's Fair and make it my own personal mission to get as many of my friends and family using FF as their "go to" bookseller. Calgary's retail bookworld remains in a time of darkness with few lights to guide the way. FF is definitely one of them. In fairness to McNally Robinson, they have not “taken the money and run”.

They could not make a go of their Calgary store.

In retrospect, they used the same site selection they did for their other stores in Manitoba, Sask. and Toronto. Namely a downtown location.

Calgary has a recovering Downtown core, but it is still a retail darkspot.

Had they chosen a slightly more suburban location with on-site parking, things may have been different.

To stop me from going off on a rant, I wont comment on “TheReisman” here.

I love Fair’s Fair and make it my own personal mission to get as many of my friends and family using FF as their “go to” bookseller.

Calgary’s retail bookworld remains in a time of darkness with few lights to guide the way. FF is definitely one of them.

]]> By: George Henderson http://www.fairsfair.com/2008/03/16/another-sad-day-for-the-book-business-in-calgary/#comment-26 George Henderson Tue, 17 Jun 2008 14:49:05 +0000 http://www.fairsfair.com/2008/03/16/another-sad-day-for-the-book-business-in-calgary/#comment-26 Thanks ircjamey for your comment with your encouraging words - and yes ... I do know the book business in Calgary is in dire straits but I promise you we will keep paddling like hell and keep on keeping on - trying to survive. Thanks ircjamey for your comment with your encouraging words - and yes … I do know the book business in Calgary is in dire straits but I promise you we will keep paddling like hell and keep on keeping on - trying to survive.

]]> By: ircjamey http://www.fairsfair.com/2008/03/16/another-sad-day-for-the-book-business-in-calgary/#comment-25 ircjamey Mon, 16 Jun 2008 20:01:26 +0000 http://www.fairsfair.com/2008/03/16/another-sad-day-for-the-book-business-in-calgary/#comment-25 Just to let you know.. with fewer and fewer used books stores out there your place is becoming a lite in the darkness fro use word junkies who are looking for those rare out of print books. you guys helped me get a spider Robinson book which i have been looking for. and not finding for a long time. now that I have it my friends wont leave it on my book shelf and are now fans of a old series. (Callahan's place series). So do know that you guy's are great and keep it going. Just to let you know.. with fewer and fewer used books stores out there your place is becoming a lite in the darkness fro use word junkies who are looking for those rare out of print books. you guys helped me get a spider Robinson book which i have been looking for. and not finding for a long time. now that I have it my friends wont leave it on my book shelf and are now fans of a old series. (Callahan’s place series).
So do know that you guy’s are great and keep it going.

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