Ballenford Books 1979-2008
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 03.31.08
Specialty bookstores are a labour of love, a dying breed, a money pit, a host of clichés. I know; a group of Toronto`s best architects, engineers, landscape architects and me bought Ballenford Books out of bankruptcy during the real estate crash in the early '90s. Andrea Kristof and I designed this store (updated since, shown here for the launch of Concrete Toronto) ; I have always thought those steel stud shelves were the best thing I ever did.
But we couldn't make it work either. Susan Delean thought she could, and took it over in 1996. It became a bright, cheerful, welcoming hub of the design community, full of great books, great shows, and great staff. Every book on green design I reviewed on TreeHugger was purchased there. Now she has succumbed too, writing:
"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."
I love books and own many, yet write about the long tail and e-readers and alternative delivery systems. I should be careful what I wish for. ::BlogTO and ::Ballenford Books
Bookstores of the future probably will have to be more than just sellers of books. An attached restaurant or coffee shop, a neighborhood theatre, something more than just a bookstore will be needed to keep people coming.
One of the local favorites is primarily a buyer and seller of used books. A popular restaurant next door supplies an overflow crowd of waiting diners, and the bookseller's staff is very knowledgeable and helpful. A great place to browse and discover hidden gems. But if the restaurant next door were to close or lose its popularity, it could be deadly for the bookseller.
Spending time with like minded individuals made shopping at Ballenford a real treat. With architecture, landscape, and the urban environment as personal passions, I will miss Ballenford greatly.
I'd only been to Ballenford once and found it to be a wonderful treat, on par with William Stout, Builder's Booksource and Urban Center Books. I was very happy to drop some cash on a great selection of books and magazines on Canadian architecture. Even just having visited it once, I'll miss it.
Lloyd, do you have pictures of the metal stud shelves? I am intrigued. Thanks.