[URBAN NOTE] "A Look Back at This Ain’t the Rosedale Library"

[rfmcdonald]

Torontoist's Books section hosts a potted history and discussion of the defunct famous indie bookstore, This Ain't the Rosedale Library. Most of the comments, interestingly enough, focus not so much on the hostile nature of the market for independent bookstores as on changing tastes in the market and the possibilities of other--as argued by some of the commenters--better managed bookstores, like the Bakka Phoenix bookstore, doing better.

While sad that we lose another independent book store, I’m sorry that I can’t quite go along with continually blaming competition for its demise.

These “hip beacon[s] of readerly love” have lost their “hip”, but cost-conscious customers it seems. Why not give the former buyers some of the blame?

While it is interesting in a sociological context that someone would go online and give Amazon money to buy a copy of “No Logo”, instead of a local independent bookstore, it isn’t exactly a surprise.

While a capitalist will sell you the rope you use to hang her, it appears that being anti-capitalist doesn’t mean one can’t love a bargain.