Thursday, August 6, 2009

Wahrenbrock's Bookhouse Closes

When a great tree falls in a forest,

Only those who listen can hear.

Impermanence alone

May be relied upon.



(Photo by Preston Wessells )

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3 comments:

Heidi said...

Oh no! Really? I'm devastated. I never went often enough as downtown always seemed so far away, dealing with traffic and then parking more trouble than it was worth, etc. I genuinely regret that now.

August 20, 2009 at 12:13 AM
Anonymous said...

You know, this is news to people in San Diego, but it is old news to people in St Louis and Chicago and San Francisco and Cleveland and New York and all over the country as used book stores close. And, who is at fault? Have you ever bought a book from Amazon? From Alibris or Abebooks? If you have, it is your fault. The times they are a changin'. It was bound to happen. The new technology is claiming bookstores from the smallest to the biggest. No one will survive. It is the way it is. And, in one sense, it is good that Chuck didn't have to see this day: it would have killed him to lock those doors for the last time.

August 20, 2009 at 2:11 PM
David Clark said...

Yes Heidi, it is a shame. Personally, although a Wahrenbrocks customer all my life, as well as having worked there for five years, when I moved to the North County I found downtown getting further and further away from my world.

Although I do buy a few books online, I still purchase at least 80% of my books from brick and mortar shops. Adams Ave. Books, Bill Burgett (himself soon to close, by the way), The Bookworks in Del Mar (I work in the same mall and am in there almost daily), the Buddhist bookstore on Park Blvd. in University Heights, Dennis Wills in La Jolla, and the Barnes and Noble in Encinitas all get my regular trade, as well as Half Price Books and several others in Seattle when I am there on my annual trip, not to mention the Farnsworth House in Gettysburg where I have purchased many volumes of my large Civil War library.

So, I guess I'm not feeling too guilty about my own role in the demise of the traditional bookstore. I would hope that other readers of this blog would remember to shop in a manner that supports the stores and people they love. Do it or be prepared for the sadness to come when you see the "closed" sign of the doors of the places you used to frequent. The future is totally in the hands of each of us in this very moment, and in no other time or place.

Act carefully.

August 22, 2009 at 9:49 AM

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