Oregon

With Closing of Shakespeare & Co, Few Indie Bookstores Remain in Berkeley

Shakespeare & Company Books' sudden closure after 51 years in business leaves few independent bookstores left in Berkeley.

Berkeleyside reported that Shakespeare & Company owner Jon Wobber made the decision to close on Tuesday without making an announcement in advance. He told the publication he tried to sell the business but had gotten no offers in nine months. He revealed that the building had recently been sold and the new owner was going to require Wobber to close for three months for remodeling, so Wobber instead opted to close permanently, citing poor sales.

Popular Portland, Ore. bookstore Powell's has purchased Shakespeare's inventory, according to East Bay Express.

SFGate noted that independent stores Moe's Books, Revolution Books, and University Press Books are open in the immediate neighborhood.

Elsewhere in Berkeley, specialty shops like Black Oak Books, Pegasus Books, and Mrs. Dalloway's Literary and Garden Arts are still hanging on in a dwindling landscape, and are likely all in need of more support than ever.

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