{"id":2935,"date":"2008-03-30T13:23:29","date_gmt":"2008-03-30T18:23:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/spacingtoronto.ca\/2008\/03\/30\/ballenford-death-of-a-great-bookstore\/"},"modified":"2008-03-30T13:34:49","modified_gmt":"2008-03-30T18:34:49","slug":"ballenford-death-of-a-great-bookstore","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/spacing.ca\/toronto\/2008\/03\/30\/ballenford-death-of-a-great-bookstore\/","title":{"rendered":"Ballenford: Death of a great bookstore"},"content":{"rendered":"

Earlier this week Ballenford Books sent out a distressed email announcing their intention to close after twenty-nine years<\/a> as a Toronto institution. In her email (see it below), owner Susan Delean said “Toronto needs an architectural bookstore!” We do indeed. Ballenford Books has sold Spacing s<\/em>ince we started this outfit nearly five years ago, and along with our other local stores<\/a>, have been instrumental in making this magazine a going concern. Much more than just a bookshop, Ballenford was also a gallery and an exhibition space with a regular series of photographic and architectural shows. I stopped in yesterday to see how it was going, and was asked to encourage people to come by and buy up some of the remaining stock. They are liquidating, trying to close down the business without ruining their family finances. I have often said that “starting a magazine is the dumbest thing you can do in Canada” with regards to long term financial stability, personal and otherwise. Running an independent niche bookstore is much the same. If it wasn’t a labour of love, it likely would not exist — but sometimes even that love can’t overcome changes in the industry and\/or the small Canadian market. As BlogTO mentioned in their fine eulogy<\/a> the other day, Ballenford has been on the brink before, but this time it is final. Stop by and help them out.<\/p>\n

WHERE: 600 Markham Street (Mirvish Village, by Honest Eds)<\/p>\n

HOURS: Tue-Fri 9:30-2:30, Saturday 12-5<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

I want to begin by thanking many of you for your years of dedication and support of Ballenford Books, and – because of that support – this is a difficult letter to write.<\/em><\/p>\n

Over the past few years, it has become ever more clear that Ballenford Books, is no longer a viable business. The cumulative effect of more schools turning to Master’s programs and away from textbook based teaching; with local University libraries sourcing books through mega-distributors in North America while coping with shrinking budgets; with the onslaught of the ‘big-box’ retailers; online shopping options; the new norm of discount pricing; and – most recently – the parity of the Canadian dollar with the US dollar – that the Canadian publishers were too slow to react to – has forced the store into a corner.<\/em><\/p>\n

We have worked very hard over the years to look for new and innovative ways to distinguish ourselves and to capture new markets and to maintain relevance within our niche; but these efforts alone have not been enough to keep the business healthy.<\/em><\/p>\n

Most of you have been wondering if you can help. The answer is YES! BUY BOOKS AND IN VOLUME! We are liquidating and trying to do so as quickly as possible. The current inventory is an impossible weight, and it alone stops any chance of a future.<\/em><\/p>\n

I cannot express how devastating this is for me personally and for my family. I would love to continue, it is my love and passion, but find my personal liabilities overwhelming and potentially irretrievable.<\/em><\/p>\n

I have thought long and hard about potential partnerships and internal changes that might help long term, but ultimately have yet to find or resolve a realistic and sustainable option. I AM ALL EARS, if anyone has a worthwhile suggestion – now is the time to speak up. Toronto needs an architectural bookstore!<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Photo via Jargol<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Earlier this week Ballenford Books sent out a distressed email announcing their intention to close after twenty-nine years as a Toronto institution. In her email (see it below), owner Susan Delean said “Toronto needs an architectural bookstore!” We do indeed. Ballenford Books has sold Spacing since we started this outfit nearly five years ago, andContinue reading “Ballenford: Death of a great bookstore”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4004,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[8540,457,1154,22092,8541,19],"class_list":["post-2935","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-architecture","tag-ballenford-books","tag-canada","tag-north-america","tag-spacing","tag-susan-delean","tag-toronto"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nBallenford: Death of a great bookstore - Spacing Toronto<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/spacing.ca\/toronto\/2008\/03\/30\/ballenford-death-of-a-great-bookstore\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Ballenford: Death of a great bookstore - Spacing Toronto\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Earlier this week Ballenford Books sent out a distressed email announcing their intention to close after twenty-nine years as a Toronto institution. 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