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Cherished bookstore in Oakland's Montclair shutting its doors
A Great Good Place for Books in Oakland's Montclair will close for good in a matter of weeks. Owner Kathleen Caldwell cites changes in customer habits and financial pressures.
OAKLAND, Calif. - A longtime independent bookstore in the Oakland hills will close in the coming weeks due to financial challenges and changing customer habits.
"A Great Good Place for Books," nestled in the heart of Montclair Village, is set to shut its doors after more than two decades in business, owner Kathleen Caldwell said.
"It’s heartbreaking. This has been my entire life for over 20 years," Caldwell said, her voice breaking with emotion.
"I don’t consider this giving up," she added. "I consider this going out gracefully. I’m going out with love and telling this amazing village how much they mean to me."
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End of a community fixture
What they're saying:
Longtime customers and employees are in shock.
"Our kids have been here, our grandkids have been here, it’s been a family tradition," said Lisa Cadwalader of Rossmoor. "After I retired, I got bored, and I worked here gift-wrapping for Kathleen over a couple of Christmases."
Author Cara Meredith, who has held book launch events at the store, said the closure is devastating.
"As someone who’s found a home here, I think it’s a loss for all of us," Meredith said. "What I would love is for the community to come in and rally."
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Financial struggles and changing habits
Dig deeper:
Caldwell said the store has struggled in recent years as more customers turned to online retailers.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, she quickly pivoted from in-store sales to online orders, personally delivering books throughout the neighborhood.
"I spent two days a week driving all over Montclair delivering books," she said.
But she said customer traffic never fully recovered.
"The crowd never came back after COVID," Caldwell said. "Montclair just didn’t come back."
Bookseller Molly Talamantes said shopping habits changed during the pandemic.
"People, I think, got really accustomed to buying everything online," she said.
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Difficult decision
Big picture view:
Despite ongoing challenges, including Caldwell’s own health battles with cancer, sepsis and kidney failure, she kept the store running.
"I’m pretty tenacious," she said with a laugh.
But after a slow holiday season and a weak start to the year, Caldwell said the business was no longer sustainable.
"You’re putting more money into the store than you’re taking out; it’s not viable," she said.
As she prepares to close the bookstore, Caldwell said she is beginning to think about what comes next.
"I’m just trying to figure out what the next chapter is," she said. "There’s always going to be a next chapter."
Henry Lee is a KTVU reporter. E-mail Henry at Henry.Lee@fox.com and follow him on X @henrykleeKTVU and www.facebook.com/henrykleefan
The Source: KTVU reporting