Tayari's Blog: Another One Bites The Dust

Posted by TayariJones on January 23, 2008 11:54 AM
Filed under Current Events

Brother Yao, founder of KaribuI am jsut heartbroken to announce the closing of Karibu Books in Washington, DC and Maryland. This announcement took me by surprise although I have heard, as often as everyone, that Americans don't read anymore and big chains are snuffing out the little guys. Sigh.

The photo to the left is Brother Yao, poet and entreprenuer whose find-a-way, make-a-way mentality kept Karibu Books alive for 15 years.

This is just terrible news.

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There are 4 comments on "Another One Bites The Dust". If you'd like to leave a comment, click here to jump down to the comments entry form.

Comment #1, by carleen [TypeKey Profile Page]

This IS terrible news!!! How sad! Did you ever know Sisterspace in DC? They closed a couple/few years ago and that broke my heart. Esowon in LA is in trouble too.

January 23, 2008 12:58 PM

Comment #2, by Jackie [TypeKey Profile Page]

It always hurts to learn that another independent bookstore has bitten the dust, yet how often do we support them? The larger chains give the discounts that the smaller stores can't. We flock to the larger stores for our coffee and pastries and for the larger selection of books with the 30% off sticker. I go to the superstores because I can often find a coupon to lessen the cost.

I remember volunteering at Karibu last year during an offsite event and some of the customers were stunned to learn that the "real" cost of the book was the price on the flap and not some lowered price. Where Karibu had the advantage though was in titles that the larger stores just don't carry. Books that are unique to our community will become harder to find and authors will have to work harder to appear in mainstream stores. I will miss their presence all the while remembering that I didn't shop there as often as I could have.

January 23, 2008 04:35 PM

Comment #3, by slsonnier [TypeKey Profile Page]

I can't believe that. Wow

January 24, 2008 12:12 PM

Comment #4, by oisine [TypeKey Profile Page]

I was also saddened by this news! I've volunteered with them and with Sisterspace. I know that Sisterspace is slated to reopen soon in a new space on upper Georgia Ave in DC. In light of this news who knows if that will happen as scheduled. This is so disappointing.

January 25, 2008 09:01 AM

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