Date: Mon, 08 Oct 2007 15:07:07 -0400
From: "Michael Walsh" <MJW at press.jhu.edu>
To: <WSFAlist at KeithLynch.net>
Subject: [WSFA] Re: Getting the book fix, was  Re: Gaylaxicon gets a hotel
Reply-To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at KeithLynch.net>

> twhite8 at cox.net 10/08/07 1:22 AM >>>
>Mike B. wrote:
>
>>  At 10/7/2007 05:19 PM, you wrote:
>>
>> > Bookstores close for lots of reasons.
>> >
>> > One of the more common is rent.  A wonderful DC art bookstore
>-
>> > Franz Bader - has closed because of their rent going up.  There
>is
>> > a point where there are no more costs to be cut and it's just
>time
>> > to close.
>>
>>  Or move.  If there's no place you can afford, it's not the
>>  rent...it's the lack of revenue.  Lack of revenue in a store
>>  generally means lower sales, though it can mean a bad profit
>margin
>>  too.  Rent is just a cost of business, like everything else
>>  businesses spend money on (stock, labor, utilities, insurance,
>etc.).
>>  Those costs have to be paid for by sales, which means customers.
>If
>>  customers buy enough, the costs are covered and there may be
>profits.
>>  If they don't, the costs aren't covered and then you can't pay
rent
>>  or other costs.  Not being able to pay the rent is likely a sign
of
>>  fewer customers in most cases where a previously successful
>business
>>  has money problems.
>
>Rents in DC have often tripled or quadrupled.  Many smaller,
>long-established businesses -- not only bookstores -- have become
>unprofitable and folded.  Moving is rarely practical.

Also, the owners of Franz Bader aren't as young as they use to be.
Sometimes it's just best to call it a day.

mjw