I was never into the pity party for Barbara’s Bookstore. Barbara’s is no longer at the corner of Lake and Marion because its owner didn’t pay the rent. All of his blathering about a contract dispute with the landlord was nonsense. In America if you don’t pay the rent, you have to vacate the premises. Capitalism 101
Now Barbara’s did have a good selection of lesbian and bodybuilding books, but I’m neither a lesbian (I’m a guy) or a bodybuilder (I don’t like the oil or the Speedo.) Barbara’s did have some history books, but you could buy them down or across the street for considerably less.
Everybody tells me Potbelly’s is great, so I’ll try it when it opens this week. Kudos to the landlord Shaker Management for getting a tenant that actually sells something people want to buy. And so fast.
Too bad we can’t get replacements for the Certified on Lake, Honey and Thyme, the Colt Building retailers, et al. It’s one thing to lose merchants. It’s another to not replace them.
