Iconic book seller closing after successful 20-year run | Official Website of Louis Velazquez, entrepreneur, finance guy and tech innovator

We’re in an age when retail closures really shouldn’t surprise anyone.

The reality is that brick-and-mortar has faced its share of challenges in recent years. And many of the issues that were a problem five or six years ago continue to be problems today.

For one thing, it’s gotten expensive to operate a physical store. With rents skyrocketing and overhead costs increasing, many retailers are finding it difficult to justify the expense of staying in business.

There’s also a world of competition for retailers to deal with, from online giants like Amazon to big-box stores like Target and Walmart.

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The pandemic caused a shift in the way a lot of people shop. Now, many consumers are inclined to go online and make purchases rather than drive to a store, spend time browsing the aisles, and potentially pay more in the process.

Given these circumstances, it hasn’t been shocking to see a number of major players in the retail place file for bankruptcy or close their doors permanently over the past few years. And the worst of it may not even be over.

An iconic book seller is closing after a successful 20-year run.

Image source&colon; Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Bookstores are a dying breed

If there’s one specific type of retailer that’s really struggling to maintain its physical store footprint today, it’s book sellers.

Although Amazon has clearly evolved from its early book-centric days, it’s long been a huge source of competition for bookstores. And the popularity of e-readers has only made things worse for brick-and-mortar shops.

Granted, there are still purists out there who prefer to sit and hold an actual book rather than get their fiction fix on screen. But at a time when people aren’t reading as much as they used to and it’s easy enough to download books on the cheap, bookstores are having a hard time staying afloat.

Plus, let’s not forget that reading enthusiasts have plenty of options for getting their hands on books without having to spend a dime.

There’s the library, for one thing. But also, programs like Kindle Unlimited give e-book readers access to thousands of titles at no cost other than the actual subscription.

And even for those who don’t enjoy reading on a screen, it’s often hard to justify the cost of a bookstore purchase when Amazon has the same title for several dollars less — and can ship it out in a couple of days.

Iconic bookstore closing after 20 years

Half Price Books has long been a fixture in downtown Berkeley. Unfortunately, after 20 successful years, the store is closing down in that location.

Public Relations Manager Emily Bruce said the store will remain open until Nov. 30 and cited a lease-related challenge as the driver of the closure.

“We wish we could stay, but we have been unable to come to a lease agreement with our landlord,” Bruce said.

Not only has Half Price Books long been a haven for Berkeley book lovers, but it’s also been a great place to sell used books and pocket some cash. The store, which encompasses 8,000 square feet, has long been home to everything from newly released titles to vintage editions.

Half Price Books was founded in 1972 and started out of a local laundromat. The chain has since grown to 120 locations across 19 states.

Since the Berkeley closure is clearly lease-related, fans can rest assured that remaining Half Price Books locations are not expected to close up shop at this time.

But given the way book sellers have been struggling, it’s not a given that more closures won’t creep up.

More retail:

Meanwhile, fans of the Half Price Books location in Berkeley were quick to express their disappointment over the closure.

“I am very upset,” said Roshni Singh, a grad student at UC Berkeley.

Samuel Lam, who works nearby, will also miss visiting the giant store. “You just can’t browse the same way online,” he said.