McIntyre & Moore Books - 70% off, closes forever on June 5

[ron_newman]

McIntyre & Moore's Store Closing Sale has entered its final week. All books are 70% off. The last day of business will be Sunday, June 5.

In other bad bookselling news, Globe Corner Bookstore in Harvard Square will also close in June, its owners having failed to find a buyer.

Comments

[hissilliness.livejournal.com]

In related news, it appears that a new bookstore is opening at 698 Broadway in Ball Square. The name was kind of generic, and didn't stick in my head, but I'll look again tomorrow.

[ukelele.livejournal.com]

"The Book Shop". New & used.

[ron_newman]

Worth a separate post once we know a little more. Wonder why they didn't pick the obvious (and alliterative) 'Ball Square Books'.

[hrafn.livejournal.com]

If they ever move from Ball Square, being named something relevant to their original location would sound silly - and might be confusing.

[ron_newman]

Good point. In the later post I also suggested "Powderhouse Books" which still works even if they leave the neighborhood.

Where Goodwill now is in Davis Square was once a bookstore called "Boston Book and Record Warehouse" -- even though it was in Somerville. After they picked up and moved to Harvard Square, they became "Barillari Books". (Don't look for it now -- all you'll find is a FedEx Kinko's.)

It does seem like most of our successful local indie bookstores have locale-specific names, though -- Brookline Booksmith, Harvard Book Store, Porter Square Books, Newtonville Books, Concord Bookshop.

[lac.livejournal.com]

I live near there and noticed their grand opening is this weekend, I believe...or, I hadn't had enough caffeine yet. I THINK that the owner owns another bookstore somewhere and that could be the reason for the name. Not sure.

Anyhow...not sure how long it can last. That location is kryptonite.

[ron_newman]

is this the former Cambridge Lock? If not, what was there before?

[lac.livejournal.com]

It's the building right next to the Chiropractor...right on the corner of Broadway and Josephine. The very last thing there was a tax preparation place, I believe. I've stopped really paying attention. This caught my eye because well, books.

[josephineave.livejournal.com]

That one has been a revolving office for years. It was Curtatone's reelection HQ a few years ago.

They've cleared out Cambridge Lock (I think - I know I have seen a real estate agent showing it), but I haven't noticed if anything is going in there.

[hissilliness.livejournal.com]

I particularly remember the campaign office because I delivered BBQ to them once from Redbones, and they were amazed I'd come all that way by bike. Good tippers, though.

[josephineave.livejournal.com]

I checked and the old lock shop is an insurance agency.

[cos]

While I expect most bookstores to close unless they either become significant online booksellers (like Harvard Bookstore) or transform into something other than just a bookstore (such as a place to get food, or see performances, or something)... Globe Corner specializing in maps and travel made it seem like it ought to survive, and I'll really miss it.

[dougo.livejournal.com]

A casualty of Google Maps, maybe?

[ron_newman]

Google Maps are not good enough to replace most printed maps. They don't show topography very well, and don't show municipal boundaries at all. Also, a lot of Globe Corner's merchandise are travel guides, not just maps.

[icecreamempress.livejournal.com]

My impression was that the owners wanted to retire or move on to other things.

[ron_newman]

From the store's blog last December:

Patrick Carrier, the president of The Globe Corner Bookstore, has announced plans to sell the 28-year-old Harvard Square landmark travel book & map specialty store due to a recent health issue. He requested that prospective buyers contact him directly for information about the sale.

Carrier explained that the health issue is likely to be very manageable over time, but is the impetus for initiation of an “exit strategy” in order to focus (for the short-term) on health rather than business issues.

Unfortunately, what we're seeing here is basically the same thing that happened to Bob Slate Stationer.

[witzwurst.livejournal.com]

It sounded as if the Globe Corner website would remain open for now, and that they were still actively seeking to sell it. For better or worse, I suspect that is likely to be a more successful business model for a business that specialized.