News Package 2

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It’s no surprise that our society is suffering through a time of economic despair. The price of food and gas are at an all time high, the abundance of unemployment leaves citizens without job security, and small businesses are experiencing a bit of desperation to make ends meet. A well respected book and toy company in Hamden, CT advertises up to 60% off all merchandise in their store closing and going out of business sale.

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{NAT SOUND: CARS DRIVING FROM OUTSIDE STORE}

{IMAGE: STORE SIGN, STORE FRONT}

{IMAGE: INSIDE STORE, BOOKS}

{SOT: TIPPY, STORE MANAGER}

Well, we have been open for two and a half years. Basically we are closing because the economy cannot support our store. We are not making enough sales to pay for all the overheads. Since we are owned by ACES, which is a variation of cooperative educational services, many of their businesses are not self sustained so they have to cut them loose. Without making much of a profit in two and a half years, they’ve decided they cannot fund it anymore. Technically they would be taking money away from their schools. So, we’re going out of business, we have to be out by the end of May and we have everything at 60% off and we’re going to keep that for a couple of weeks, see what our stock situation is, and raise the amount if need be.

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Working with such a generous organization such as ACES, and a store completely stocked with positive learning tools, what will happen if the “everything must go” sale, doesn’t sell?

{SOT: TIPPY, STORE MANAGER}

Everything not sold will be donated to the ACES schools in the area.

{IMAGE: CUSTOMERS, TOYS}

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With Sleeping Giant Book and Toy Company home to a plethora of both quality books and educational toys, Tippy is confident in knowing these products will not go to waste, no matter what.

{IMAGE: INSIDE BOOKS & CO.}

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At the other end of the recessive spectrum, Books & Company at the other end of Whitney Avenue, experiences similar problems, but with a more positive outcome.

{SOT: LINDA MOSER, STORE OWNER}

Hi, I’m Linda Moser, this is my store, Books & Company, used bookstore café in Hamden, we’ve been here for 16 years although we’ve been in this location for only 11, we were at a smaller location down the street for the first five years. It’s not an easy thing to do, run a small retail business, neighborhood kind of place, it gets harder and harder but we’re pretty committed to keeping it going as long as we can. Used books have a little different economic base than new books so it makes it work a little better in terms of not having as much cash tied up in a business but over the years I found that I diversify more and more. I have a greeting card selection that is pretty unusual, most places do not bother to order from nearly 50 different companies, and small companies at that and we are supporting small artists.

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Linda has made it abundantly clear, tat her store truly offers something for everyone.

{SOT: LINDA MOSER, STORE OWNER}

We have gifts that are usually somewhat keeping with our themes. Some of those themes are books to reading to journaling, to kids. Our kinds room which is books for kids is really important to us because we give an extra discount to teachers when they buy for their classrooms and in the last few years I’ve been doing a certain amount of jewelry making here. The beading I do myself, I do it at home, and I bring it in and it’s another significant part of what goes on here. We have a bead meeting twice a month, changing art shows, we have photographers local pictures up on the wall right now, and now Pair Art School is doing one later this month. We’re really dedicated to community.

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As if jewelry, unusual gifts and rare finds were enough, Books & Company pushes the envelope a little bit further.

{SOT: LINDA MOSER, STORE OWNER}

As of last November, I sublet out my café to some other people who were really passionate about coffee and weren’t stretched quite as thin as I am. So now we have the energy of Legal Grounds, founded at Best Video right up the street about four years ago by two lawyers who love coffee. Our businesses just work in tandem with one another and we’re in the same space. When the deli next door is open we have an interior door that opens between us so that customers can wander between us, the idea is to get more and more. This is a wonderful little neighborhood we’re part of and we’re very committed to staying here, to doing as much as we can, as much community building as we can. We’ve got lectures coming up for a number of luminaries that live in the neighborhood. We had one last week on bayou tapestries, and it had 44 people in attendance. That was really quite wonderful. We have book groups, we let other groups use the space, on Friday nights we have an astrology group that meets here, and a writing group that meets here. There’s plenty of room for everybody. We do an art festival in the summer, the first Saturday of every month outside so that people can sell their wares and see what’s being made in the neighborhood. So lots and lots always happening, but it is a hard thing to keep going in this economy, it’s been the worst winter on record, and I’m sure a lot of other businesses are saying the same thing. We’re very hopeful about Spring and new energy and more people finding us.

{NAT SOUND: MUSIC PLAYING, PEOPLE CHATTING}

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There is a pattern of consistent struggle and uncertainty between these two similar, but very different establishments. Recession and financial woes are a common battle for both Linda and Tippy, but Linda seems to bringing a strong sense of variety to her shop that truly offers, something for everyone. Tessa Davis, Quinnipiac News.