When I thought about our bookstore's plan for 2025, it definitely didn't include having to write this blog and it sucks...
It’s with a heavy heart and a pit in my stomach that I share some difficult news about the future of our cute little bookstore. In just two short weeks, our Main Street storefront will be closing its doors. This decision wasn’t one we made lightly, on our own, nor one we expected to face.
Over the holiday break, we received a non-renewal notice from our landlords at Our Third Space. Unfortunately, they informed us they’re transitioning the space to a month-to-month setup—something that won’t be extended to us as they would like to continue supporting other small businesses with an affordable start up retail space. We knew our current lease agreement was ending at the end of January but with no longer having the ability to renew the lease and not being ready to take on a new larger retail space, we have no choice but to say goodbye to the bookstore we've all grown to love in downtown Vancouver for now.
Running a bookstore on Main Street has been a dream, one I poured everything into. It’s not just about the books or the shelves but about the connections built with all of you—the readers, book lovers, and community members who have walked through our doors. This space was meant to be a place to go when you needed a pick-me-up, wanted to browse new books while listening to Chappell Roan, for fun and crafty book clubs, and where new friendships were forged. Writing this goodbye feels like letting go of a piece of that dream, and it’s heartbreaking to write all this out as a way of announcing our goodbye.
Over the past six months, Garret and I and our three amazing kiddos have given everything to make this store a success. From long days and late nights, missed family get-togethers, missed school performances, to stretching our resources, it’s been a full-on effort to bring a vibrant, fun, and special bookstore to downtown Main Street. We’ve sacrificed a lot to make it work, and seeing it end like this is hard to put into words. I am sad. I have worked so damn hard...
While I’ve wrestled with whether to seek out a new space, the reality is that our bookstore isn’t financially stable enough to take on the costs of a new lease—especially during what is traditionally the slowest season for retail sales. Retail leases that provide the square footage we need and can afford are slim to none downtown. For now, I'll be focusing on our online store, where I'll continue to offer the carefully curated selection of books and cute accessory items you’ve come to love.
The past week has been incredibly challenging, and I won’t pretend I’m not still processing everything. While this chapter is closing, it’s not the end of our story. I know that going to the physical store and browsing was more fun - I genuinely get that, but we hope many of you will continue to support us when we transition to being fully online.
Thank you for being here, for showing up for our store in such an amazing way the past 6 months, for the new friendships, and all the memories I will never forget.
Keep an eye out for our announcement about our final day open—we’ll share the details soon. That's all for now - I'm logging off.
