For almost three years, I worked as a bookseller at the Chinook Bookshop. The store opened in Colorado Springs during the early summer of 1959, and went out of business in the spring of 2004. I had the beautiful opportunity to work two and a half of the forty-five years the store graced downtown Colorado Springs.Unfortunately, many factors eventually led to the demise of the store. From my perspective, the nails in the coffin included: 9/11, Amazon, the rise of Borders and Barnes & Noble, the Wal-Mart-insta-discount-culture, and the ever persistent gravity of time that nagged the owners until they relented. I don't want to dwell on these things, but want to bring to light the plight, and importance of the independent bookstore; they are one of the last great hopes for democracy in our time. If you don't believe me, you should really read this.
1 comment:
Yes, and it's damn depressing to walk into one of those big box stores. The entire atmosphere makes me feel ill (it might as well be wal-mart), and the staff knows nothing whatsoever. Chinook was a true community loss.
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