At the end of August, Pages Bookstore in Toronto closed. It was, in my opinion, the best bookstore in Canada and featured a great selection of first time authors: books that Chapters wouldn’t even think about stocking.

Duthie’s is the closest we have in Vancouver, though its selection of independently published first time authors wasn’t as great. Now they’re closing.

I readily admit to being part of the problem here. In the last ten years I’ve increasingly purchased used books, so I haven’t exactly been helping keep Duthie’s in business. Books can get expensive, and why kill all those new trees? I actually don’t order many books from Amazon: probably fewer than 15 in the last ten years. Still…I’m not pleased about this.

DUTHIE PRESS RELEASE
January 19, 2010

We are sad to tell you that Duthie Books 4th ave is closing.

After 53 years, the last Duthies bookstore is closing. Goodbye to all that!
The Duthie family: Cathy Legate, Celia Duthie and David Duthie, wish to thank all the customers, readers, staff, authors, and publishers who have been part of Duthie Books over the years, particularly our customers who have remained steadfast over these past 10 years at 4th Ave.

We have had 53 (mostly) happy years of bookselling in Vancouver. We have offered friendly recommendations, and stocked good books. For 53 years Duthies has provided a good book service to the city, championed BC and Canadian books, encouraged the public to read local writers, and helped to create a knowledgeable reading public. The book culture of Vancouver and BC has grown up and flourished around Duthies from publisher’s reps to publishing houses , authors, illustrators, designers, printers, literary festivals, and university writing and publishing programs have emerged in the Duthies milieu and many Duthies alumni work in all parts of the book trade.

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