Landmark Bookstore to Close in Berkeley

From A Report at NPR: Changing times along the strip just off Berkeley’s campus have lead to the decline of local businesses along the strip, including the scheduled closure of a landmark store, Cody’s Books.

June 21, 2006 by Blake Uncategorized 6

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Chuck says:

June 21, 2006 at 8:39 pm

indie bookstores
Has anyone ever noticed that the selection and service in indie bookstores sucks most of the time? I know they’re small put the stuff they pick is awful and repetitive.

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pchuck says:

June 21, 2006 at 11:36 pm

Re:indie bookstores
Alot of the indie bookstores that I’ve been to in Portland, Oregon*, Seattle and Philly had really rude employees who were incredibly unhelpful. When your service is terrible is hard to compete against Amazon or even Barnes & Noble or Borders.

* I know Powell’s is a great store but I’ve had my share of lousy service at the famed institution.

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infodiva says:

June 22, 2006 at 12:23 am

Re:indie bookstores
Quail Ridge in Raleigh NC is great, for a smaller bookstore. Great service, and really good selection for it’s size. I think it really depends on the store. The ones with poor service and poor selection should be going out of business soon!

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Ryan says:

June 22, 2006 at 2:00 am

Re:indie bookstores
Politics & Prose and Olsson’s here in D.C. put the local Borders and Barnes & Nobles to shame in the customer service dept. (you’re much more likely to talk to a well-read, culturally literate person if you need help), and they manage to stock a better selection of books for serious readers than the chains while also having a good general interest stock.

I’ve never been to Cody’s, but the loss of so many small bookshops in recent years is a blow to people who really care about books and reading: I’d always rather take my chances at an indie than brave the perky but clueless service I *know* I’ll get at the chains …

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sarahmae says:

June 22, 2006 at 11:14 am

Re:indie bookstores
I love Olsson’s!

There are quite few nice indie bookstores in the LA area. I like Book Soup.

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Sheilah says:

June 22, 2006 at 8:48 pm

Re:indie bookstores
I haven’t noticed that myself, no. I try to visit the independents whenever I am in a new city and don’t ever remember a rude salesperson or one who was anything but eager to help me find what I need. Maybe I’m lucky.

I was back in Berkeley last year for the first time in 20 years and was saddened at how dead the main strip was. I was told by one vendor that it had been like that since the military base had closed down. It took a lot of the money away.

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