From the Queens Gazette:
Astoria’s only independent bookstore is about to write its final chapter.
Seaburn Books will close its doors for the last time at the end of December, the victim of a rent hike, slumping sales and competition from online book merchants, owner Sam Chekwas said.
Chekwas said Seaburn Books opened on Broadway in Astoria 16 years ago and has been losing money for years. The store is located in a high rent area where a high sales volume is needed to make ends meet.
Many customers come to the store asking for digital books for their NOOKs and Kindles, and Seaburn just couldn’t compete.
11 comments:
Forest Hilss could use such a bookstore.
A pile of dollar-books in a high-rent area? That kind of bookstore?
Greek language and obscure African authors?
Ten year old software manuals?
A clutter of dog eared texts with no price?
If that is what Forest Hills needs then make him an offer. He must have had three stores in Astoria and each of them went up - while the community cries for a bookstore.
Queens has many unmet needs if you are not a developer or tweeded or hack.
It just seems to not be able to get a long of really simple things right.
You know it's a good book when the cover is hot pink!
The place is a disapppinting dump. It's amazing it lasted 16 years.
Good, maybe they can put in a bank, or maybe Astoria could FINALLY get a 99 cent store or a hookah joint!
Book store are going the way of the movie theaters.
It's all about downloading and streaming these days.
Public libraries are, in fact, becoming unnecessary except as hang outs.
Go to Strand!
That's a real book store.
This is a poor remnant of one.
Yes, It is a shame that we cannot keep a bookstore going here. This bookstore really had little of what I was looking for-many Afro-centric books and outdated used travel or computer books.
A store like Shakespeare bookstore in the Village might work-they have somehow found a formula for success despite online books and Barnes and Noble.
Too bad we don't have more landlord's in this area that were more community minded. I know there are a few in Astoria that own several of the same restaurants. Many of them do not live in Astoria and don't care. They have a right to make a living-but maybe if the right bookstore, they could give back to the community. The community would have to support the store too. Some of the bookstores in Williamsburg have a formula that works. It would be interesting to do a survey to see what people are looking for.
Oh shit. It's the parking, that's the reason. Not enough of it...amirite.
Oh shit. It's the parking, that's the reason. Not enough of it...amirite.
logical response
zoning restrictions to keep density low.
community board one response
build build build and put a multilayer parking garage on 1. seans' place park, 2. precious blood parking lot 3. p c richards ... with a park on top.
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