Brand Books in Glendale to Close!

I don't what is harder to believe.  That Brand Books is only 29 years old (which means I must have started going there right after it opened - or that is now closing.  Sameea Kamal, of the LA Times has the full story in their Glendale paper.  sameea.kamal@latimes.com
 

Brand Bookshop to close doors after 29 years

A man searches the shelves of used books in at Brand Bookshop. The store will be closing its doors this summer after 29 years in business. (File Photo / June 28, 2014)

After 29 years in business, Brand Bookshop will be closing its doors.

Store employee Mauricio Ramirez confirmed the Brand Boulevard store that specializes in used books would be closing sometime in August.
Noriaki Nakano, adopted son of owner Jerome Joseph, said the decision to close the store was due to his Joseph’s poor health after a fall he took in July 2013.
“He lost the ability he used to have, not just simple memory, but the ability to handle or comprehend the business,” Noriaki said.
Joseph is now at an assisted living facility in Glendale since he is unable to live alone, Nakano said.
In addition, Nakano said it doesn't make sense to invest more in a business that is not bringing in a lot of money.
“I want to use the money for a better life for [Joseph], and to spend more time with him.”
Nakano, who is 66, said he has also reached the age for retirement himself.
The 5,000-square-foot bookshop has an inventory of about 100,000 books, Nakano said.

“It’s a big operation,” he said.

Joseph opened Brand Bookshop in 1985 with his business partner, Larry Mullen, a science fiction enthusiast who suggested the idea back when bookstores were still thriving, he told the News-Press in a previous interview.

“Business was good around 1993 up to about 2003 and that’s when business began to really slow because of the Internet and the economy,” Nakano told the News-Press in November 2013. “Lots of bookstores are downsizing or closing right now.”

Nokano said that sales at Brand Bookshop were down by 30% to 40% at the time, but they hoped the holiday season would help boost sales.

The store sent out a notice about its closing to its email list of 2,600 people. and while he received a lot of responses that were ‘difficult to deal with,’ he feels it was the best move for him and the store.

“The book business has changed dramatically,” he said. “People do not need to buy books, they can actually access reading any book on the Internet, so I understand, in a way, it’s very practical, especially among the young generation.”

As part of the store’s closing sale, all books will be 50% off from July 1 until the store closes.

Customers with store credit are also encouraged to spend it as soon as possible.

“My dad has actually built up such an empire, it was really a cultural landmark in the city of Glendale and it will be missed by many, many people,” Nakano said. “But nothing lasts forever. It’s time to close and move on.”