A reluctant farewell to Blackbird Books

The Nashua Telegraph, (NH) has a short report on the closing of another indy book seller. Give Maggie Hinkle and her staff an A for striving to operate a small bookstore in downtown Nashua. Unfortunately, Blackbird Books and Cafe will close at the end of the month for lack of sufficient patronage.

April 6, 2005 by Blake Uncategorized 7

Anonymous Patron says:

April 7, 2005 at 1:35 am

Business
lack of sufficient patronage

Hard to carry on a business without sufficient patronage.

Reply
birdie says:

April 7, 2005 at 1:58 am

Independent Bookstores
Let’s not get into why independent bookstores are closing in droves; we know that ever more books are being published and that people that want to own them, as opposed to those who want to borrow them, will run out to buy them. Suffice it to say that the indies are suffering at the hands of the chains, discount stores and internet outlets, primarily huge wealthy corporations that stock books based on directives from HQ.

Here’s a great list of the remaining indies…check it out and visit a bookstore near you (one that doesn’t start with a “B”!)next time you’re inspired to add to your collection.

Reply
Grumpy Librarian says:

April 7, 2005 at 3:37 am

Patronage
Maybe their patrons all became customers at the library.

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deborah says:

April 7, 2005 at 8:33 am

Re:Independent Bookstores
When Avenue Victor Hugo closed, a friend of mine went on a rant about the closing of small bookstores. “But don’t you order online from Powell’s?” I asked. “Oh,” she explained, “they aren’t a chain.” The fact that they’re 3000 miles from her and the local small bookstores have excellent websites and also deliver was completely lost on her.

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slashgirl says:

April 7, 2005 at 7:09 pm

Re:Independent Bookstores
“and visit a bookstore near you (one that doesn’t start with a “B”!)next time you’re inspired to add to your collection”

So, then Chapters is okay? Or maybe I could order online from Amazon?

s/ (the best bookstore in our area is an independent one).

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birdie says:

April 7, 2005 at 9:47 pm

Re:Independent Bookstores
Well s/lash, you’re not only Canadian, you’re a special case! Same thing is happening throughout Canada, and in the U.K. now too.

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slashgirl says:

April 8, 2005 at 4:13 pm

Re:Independent Bookstores
I’m a really “special” case! *lol* I know the same thing is happening here. The few times that I actually buy books these days, I do use the closest bookstore, which happens to be an independent. It’s been my fave bookstore for…probably 20+ years; it’s changed ownership a couple times but has only become better.

I also occasionally shop at Chapters when I go into the city. And I will admit to just about drooling when I go in there because there’s so many books! It’s an addiction, really…

But overall, I don’t buy many books–they’re too expensive and most of what I want, I can get at the library.

s/

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