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.
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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