Mill Valley bookstore plans to close shop

David Barnett, the dean of Southern Marin booksellers, is probably the least surprised of anybody that his little used book shop in Mill Valley is closing after 20 years.

[Hal]

Soon Google will have all the world's books online...well, at least the ones that you are willing to pay for and that the Soviet immigre owners allow you to see.

I imagine next the Mill Valley Library will shut down because after all, why bother when it's all online: Of course there will be zero privacy:

Learn about this here.

http://www.scroogle.org/

[Big D]

I loved the Tides, it was a great place to hang out and look at books. Unfortunately with today's economy I don't buy many new books. I generally hunt them down in used book stores.

[dave]

The Brazen Coyote got him.

[rules of bookselling]

Used book store Laws:

1. Only accept donated books

2. Sell any book for in the store for 5.00

3. provide free coffee

4. turn up the music!!

5. Put up signs everywhere, "last honest bookseller"

You will make a living!

[MarinCitizen]

Big D wrote:

I loved the Tides, it was a great place to hang out and look at books. Unfortunately with today's economy I don't buy many new books. I generally hunt them down in used book stores.

That's the problem. You are not buying, but consuming his resources. Not your fault. Some businesses must adapt to survive. It has always been that case, the market has changed and if you don't you die. The margins are very low for books, that the overhead needed to stack them on the shelves in hopes people will just show up and buy them sounds crazy these days. People just have some romantic nostalgic notions about the whole thing.

[Support Your Community]

MarinCitizen wrote:

<quoted text>
That's the problem. You are not buying, but consuming his resources. Not your fault. Some businesses must adapt to survive. It has always been that case, the market has changed and if you don't you die. The margins are very low for books, that the overhead needed to stack them on the shelves in hopes people will just show up and buy them sounds crazy these days. People just have some romantic nostalgic notions about the whole thing.

Get ready for more "romantic notions" when small businesses all over this county close and then everyone can sit around and tell stories about "remember when's". Unfortunately no one will get it and rally around all small businesses - they'll just say we should of conformed to whatever concept people have about "what we should of done" or "shouldn't of done" or "if only they did".... Bottome line, CHINA.

[MarinCitizen]

I hear your point of view, but am not 100% in agreement. Small business still thrives, but they thrive in areas people are finding value in. The concept of value is not necessarily a least cost economic one either, and it changes. Plenty of retail works, but yes in the times now in the Great Recession, the pull back is apparent - especially in contrast to the wide eye exubberance of the recent "bubble" past. Weak players will be hit.

Retail is competitive. While I might sometimes buy something small out of goodwill and like to support local first, that is not something for a business to depend on, and is certainly a symptom of a problem for that business, not necessarily some big macro consumer issue you are talking to.

Support Your Community wrote:

<quoted text>
Get ready for more "romantic notions" when small businesses all over this county close and then everyone can sit around and tell stories about "remember when's". Unfortunately no one will get it and rally around all small businesses - they'll just say we should of conformed to whatever concept people have about "what we should of done" or "shouldn't of done" or "if only they did".... Bottome line, CHINA.

[fizzax]

Big D wrote:

I loved the Tides, it was a great place to hang out and look at books. Unfortunately with today's economy I don't buy many new books. I generally hunt them down in used book stores.

i used to go to the tides books everyday after school
marin just doesn't have that sort of character anymore
just yuppies and wannabe gangbangers

[marin genetics]

The real problem is people stopped reading? Why read once you got that degree?
Oh, wait I read a lot of dribble on the internet? And I read Harry Potter?
People are stupider than ever, but think they know everything. Some society
we've become--I blame the illegals--"where's my joystick?"

[Thomas]

problem these days is that we rather spend 4 bucks on a crummy latte made by some schmock who could care less than visiting a cool old shop and make conversation with someone who is not shallow like most of the yuppies in MV...This is what is happening pretty much everywhere in small towns around the US.
No one can keep up with the Bay area outrageous cost of living and more and more people will go where they can afford to live well without necessarily making huge sums of money!!!!!!!!!

[BGHOZ]

Whatta shame. Ten comments for the moment...? that depot has been there for along time, kinda a icon in the neighborhood, I am surprised that not more folks aren't speaking up...oh well, progressive Marin....

[Not You]

BGHOZ- RTFA. The Book Depot isn't closing.

[MV Resident]

I have been looking for a great used bookstore since moving to the area two years ago. I posted a request about it on the local HUGE mom's club forum and looked in all the directories I could find. Had no idea whatsoever BOOKS was here and am very disappointed to find out that it exists by reading about the closing. Totally would have shopped there (and contributed books to his collection) had I been able to find it before now.

Book Depot is nice but too cramped to hang out in.

[BGHOZ]

Not You wrote:

BGHOZ- RTFA. The Book Depot isn't closing.

Alright!Good News...(gee where have I been...?)I was born
in Mill Valley...at home....I romped and stomped there.That's good news.Yay!