Andrew Woodman, Centretown News
Bennett Bedoukian (left) and Dave Grenon of Hello Babies play among the bookshelves at Black Squirrel Books.With handcrafted art being hung and local DJs spinning among the shelves, Ottawa’s bookstores are adapting to the times.
While local independent booksellers such as Brittons and Nicholas Hoare have closed due to declining business and high rent, some stores are thriving – and reaping the benefits.
Black Squirrel Books & Tea, a Centretown used bookstore with a second location in Old Ottawa South, is the brainchild of Vaughn MacDonald and Steven Yong.
From the beginning, they say, the idea was to open more than a traditional bookstore.
“We started hosting two to three events per month, usually one visual artist, one book launch or reading, and one or two [band] shows,” MacDonald says. “Downstairs (in the Old Ottawa South location) is a rough, sort of concrete feel. We’ve even had some DJ stuff down there.”
The second location, which opened almost a year ago, is on track to become the main store as MacDonald and Yong are letting their Centretown location’s lease expire in March.
After expanding a year before, they say this downsizing is not because of hard economic times.
Their new location in Old Ottawa South is much bigger and can host large events that their original space can’t accommodate.
“We’d love to keep both of them open, but we both work 60 plus hours a week, and we want to really focus on (our new location),” MacDonald says.
Michael Deyell, the owner of After Stonewall in Centretown, has a similar method of diversifying from the traditional bookstore model.
After he bought the LGBTQ bookstore from the previous owner in 2012, he kept some of the books but also brought in works from 25 artists he had at his gallery in Prince Edward County.
Now, the books take a backseat to the main purpose of the shop.
Deyell says about 90 to 95 per cent of business comes from his growing collection of art that spreads throughout the store.
“I’ve gone from 25 to 60 artists. The art has taken over. It’s what’s drawing people to the business,” he says.
“There’s not a lot of one-of-a-kind galleries in Ottawa currently.”
Deyell admits that book sales have been difficult in recent years.
He says when he bought the store, about 50 per cent of sales came from books, while last year was 20 per cent and now about five per cent.
Despite this, Deyell says he’s a fighter.
“If literature isn’t what people are interested in, actually having a physical book and sitting down and relaxing, then you have to shift,” he says.
That shift is what’s driving Black Squirrel’s recent changes.
The basement of their newer and soon to be only location is being renovated for more book storage and a bigger event venue, which will make it the largest independent bookstore in the city by square feet, MacDonald says.