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Book Exchange to close doors after 75 years(Herald-Sun, The (Durham, NC) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Jan. 27--DURHAM -- Valentine's Day will be a sad day for book lovers. The Book Exchange, the sprawling two-story bookstore at Five Points is scheduled to close that day after 75 years in business. Owner Fran Feinberg said she decided to close after several unprofitable years competing with chain stores and Internet businesses. "It really was a thriving business up until the last three years," Feinberg said. Sales of used textbooks for classes at Duke and N.C. Central universities made up a large part of the store's business, and online sales and moves by the universities' bookstores to become more competitive have eaten into the profits of what local customers fondly know as "The Book Ex," Feinberg said. "The whole industry is just different than it was a few years ago, and it's changing quickly," Feinberg said. Feinberg, the daughter of founder W.M. Marley, lives in Miami and works full time as an attorney. And although she had a manager to run the store, her distance from Durham and time spent on her full-time job added to the decision to close, she said. Marley started the store in 1933 as a student at UNC Chapel Hill, Feinberg said. He had some skill as a barber and cut hair in exchange for used textbooks. As he amassed a collection of books, he started selling them back to students, opening a shop in Chapel Hill and then moving it to Durham. The 107 W. Chapel Hill St. location grew as Marley's collection grew, to the point it now takes up 12,000 square feet, 7,000 of which the family owns. "My father had a million books under one roof, and he literally knew where every one was, but those days are gone," Feinberg said. The store had grown to be a real attraction for downtown. Matt Heric, president and CEO of IAVO Research and Scientific next door, said that he would send visitors over when they were looking for something to do for an hour or so. "I think we're going to sorely miss it," Heric said. "Whether you shopped there or not it was a great asset for downtown." Bill Kalkhof, president of Downtown Durham Inc., said the bookstore added a unique element to downtown. "What they had here was a cool bookstore, and they brought Duke and N.C. Central students to downtown, and that will be missed," Kalkhof said. But he said he understands the business decision that led to the store's closing and is hopeful that the space will be redeveloped soon. Feinberg said the name of the business was for sale for the price of the property the family owns, in case someone is interested in keeping it open as a bookstore. "I know that a lot of people are going to be broken-hearted because there are a lot of people who just love that store and come in just to browse," Feinberg said. She said customers were sometimes locked in after close because they had lost track of time browsing in one of the back rooms. Sales will be running until the store closes on Feb. 14, Feinberg said. Customers on Monday afternoon were taking advantage of an offer to fill a grocery bag with books for $10, excluding textbooks. Kalita Marsh said she had been buying books there since her freshman year as a Duke undergraduate in 2000. She is now in her last semester as a law student. The store was not only a good place buy textbooks, she said, but carried a lot of helpful supplemental guides. "I was just stunned," Marsh said of learning of the closing. "I was just coming back today to get some books, and I was just shocked. I feel like the Durham community and students across the state are going to be losing a valuable resource." Marsh said she had friends who would come almost 60 miles away from Campbell University in Buies Creek to get their textbooks. Lauren Baker, a tutor for English as a Second Language students, would steer students here for guides to the Test of English as a Foreign Language required of non-native students to enter American colleges and universities. She also liked to shop for mystery novels for herself. She said it was the sort of cultural treasure you might find at an artists' colony or resort town and had been a source of pride for Durham. "I hate to see them closing," Baker said. "They've got used books. They've got new books. They've got 10-cent books. They've got about every kind of book imaginable." ------------------------------------ BUSINESSES BID GOODBYE The closing of The Book Exchange is just the latest in a series of longtime Durham businesses that have recently shut their doors. Others include: - Pizza Palace, on Guess Road, which closed after 45 years. - Couch's Kwik Kar Wash, on W. Markham St., which closed after 44 years. - The Pinehurst Candle Shop, on the U.S. 15-501 Bypass, which closed after 39 years. To see more of The Herald-Sun, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.herald-sun.com. Copyright (c) 2009, The Herald-Sun, Durham, N.C. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email [email protected], call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA. |