Imagine there's no bookstore
Web competition, decline in readership weigh on children's store
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05:17 PM PDT on Thursday, May 15, 2008
A chapter is about to close in the lives of a mother and daughter who tickled the fancy of children.
Judy and Jen Christenson, co-owners of Imagine That! Children's Bookstore in Riverside, will close the doors in June. The store employs two people, down from five.
The bookstore has struggled for years amid education budget cuts, competition from online and chain retailers and a slumping economy.
"Our store has consistently done 20% less in sales each year," Judy Christenson said. "Unless a miracle happens, we'll close at the end of June."
So far, the Christensons have no plans to file for bankruptcy. Instead, they will simply allow their lease to lapse.
The duo purchased the store in July 2003 from Karen Rosenburg, who operated the store since the mid-1970s. Rosenburg retired and Judy and Jen took up the mantle, redecorated the store and carried on. The store is located at the Canyon Crest Towne Centre.
The two were optimistic about their prospects at the time, but education budgets were slashed, Barnes and Noble opened shop nearby at the Galleria at Tyler and Citrus Plaza and then the economy tanked.
The store derived much of its sales providing textbooks to the Riverside, Alvord and Colton school districts. But those sales were trimmed by the state budget knife.
To stay solvent, the Christensons shaved 750 square feet off the store's footprint and went down to 1,250 square feet in September.
That 750-square-foot area was dedicated to school reference and related materials.
But the $4,000 a month in savings proved too little as sales fell short of paying the bills.
Although national chains Borders and Barnes and Noble have had a hand in dwindling book sales at the children's bookstore, they are not the biggest reason for the slump, Jen Christenson said.
Online sales, a cut in education budgets resulting in less money for books, and a decreased interest in pleasure reading slashed sales for the independent shop, she said.
"Times have really changed," she added. "When Karen started 30 years ago, there was nothing like it and there was no Internet and no big chains. Today we don't have the school business anymore because of the budget cuts and we can't make it on just walk-by traffic sales anymore."
Dogged effort
The duo organized book clubs, enticed authors for book signings and brought their dog "Cozi," an 8-year-old Bouvier des Flandres, to attract and entertain customers.
They provided home delivery and curbside service for disabled customers and offered free gift wrapping. The two memorized customer preferences and kept up on the latest books.
"It's the kind of customer service you won't get at a big chain store or online," Judy Christenson said. "But as a small business, it's difficult. Taxes are higher for us. We've been fighting, but it looks like we won't win."
While independent bookstores battle to stay afloat, some big retailers also feel the pinch.
Ann Arbor, Mich.-based book seller Borders is considering a sale of its business and has lined up $42.5 million in financing to help continue its operations. That financing came from Pershing Square Capital, a major stakeholder in the company.
Borders, the second largest book retailer, suspended quarterly dividends and postponed the release of its fourth-quarter earnings results to May 28. Revenue dropped 2% from $1.37 billion to $1.35 billion, according to its latest quarterly figures.
Meanwhile, sales increased for Barnes and Noble, the number-one book retailer. Sales increased 2.8% for its fourth quarter and 4.3% for the fiscal year ended Feb. 2. Online sales soared 13.1% to $177 million for that quarter and annual sales were $477 million, up 13.4% for the fiscal year ended Feb. 2.
Although those numbers are good, Barnes and Noble expects first quarter sales will be "slightly negative" when it releases them later this week.
"The concept of pleasure learning and reading isn't there anymore," Jen Christenson said. "These days, parents will buy their kids a $3.99 drink at a coffee shop but pass up a $3.99 book. It's truly a sad commentary on our society today."
Barring miracles or a burst of sales, the two will close their bookstore and walk away from the business that's been a local fixture for more than 30 years.
"We love books," Jen Christenson said. "If we won the lottery, we'd keep the store open just as a hobby."
Judy Christenson plans to take the summer off and help her two other daughters with their newborns before she looks for work.
Jen Christenson plans to take some time off and rest before she looks for a job.
The outpouring of support from the community has buoyed the pair during the difficult process of closing down, they said. Long-time customers are expressing sympathy and concern and that's helped them realize their business meant something to people, they said.
"This store has been my passion and being able to work with my daughter these last few years has been the best part of it all. It was a treat," Judy Christenson said.
"Another great part of all of this has been the people and the book club experience. To see a group of boys so excited by a book is lovely. But it's been hard telling them that we won't be around anymore and it's been difficult seeing their disappointment. One of our customers, a 14-year-old boy, came in and told us that it was like 'losing a family member' for him."
