My Favorite Book Store to Close
I discovered Skyline in 1990, when I worked in the Flatiron District at a terrible magazine called Theatre Crafts run by a terrible person (but that's another story). I'd roam down W. 18th Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues to relieve my misery. At the time, the block was earning a reputation as a new Booksellers Row in Manhattan. In addition to Skyline, there was Academy Books, Book-friends Cafe and both a new Barnes & Noble and B&N used-book annex at the corner. But I liked Skyline the best. The place was snug and a bit ramshackle, and felt like a used book store (unlike B&N); the staff was friendly (unlike Academy); and it wasn't a cafe pretending to be a book store (unlike Bookfriends). Also, Skyline had a great selection and seems secretly honed in on my tastes. They almost always had the book I was looking for. Furthermore, their prices were fair.
Skyline manage to survive the rough years in the early 1990s, when new Barnes & Nobles were picking off indy shops left and right. Sad to see it go. I real loss. They're having a big sale through the end of the month. Go take a last look
Posts
4 comments:
I agree it's a terrible loss. Just a couple of points: the B & N at 18th St. wasn't new at that time. In fact, it's the original B & N store and is very, very old. And I don't think B & N had an impact on Skyline. After all, Skyline outlasted B & N's used-book annex. It's the Internet--AbeBooks and Amazon--that has killed used bookstores.
I agree that the Internet did it's share of killing, but in the 1990s, B&N was responsible for quite a few book store deaths, both new and used.
And, yes, I know the 18th Street store was the original.
I spoke with Rob the owner on Saturday. He named the internet as a culprit in killing small bookstores, but he has also been paying $8,000 a month in rent. His landlord now wants $12,000.
At these levels, a small business owner isn't working for himself any longer -- he's working for the benefit of others, and that is senseless.
I hope he'll find something in a good area for a decent rent so that he can relaunch Skyline.
So, you didn't like Books of Wonder? Still there.
-Andrew Porter
Post a Comment