BookSmart, Morgan Hill, Calif., which moved two years ago, is on the move again.
In an announcement to customers, the 23-year-old store said that it has had "a tough time" in its new location. (The situation was so difficult, mainly because of debt problems, that founders and owners Brad Jones and Cinda Meister had said in March that barring "a miracle," the store would close.) "In the past 28 months, we have searched for solutions that would keep BookSmart afloat. Many people in the community have generously contributed their time and money in an attempt to help, but in spite of these efforts, none of the avenues we pursued worked out."
Thus the store is moving to 421 Vineyard Town Center, near Nob Hill Market, which BookSmart described as "very accessible; it is part of a busy shopping center with lots of parking, and it will be much easier to drop in while you are doing your other shopping."
The space is "small, roughly one-quarter the size of our current location," the store continued. "Therefore, it will be 90% bookstore. With fewer distractions, we can focus on the very best qualities that a bookstore can possess: books, the book-reading experience, and on you, the customer."
Noting that "the current model in retail is value and speed," BookSmart said it will focus on having a large selection of current bestsellers; Indie Next bestsellers at 20% off; a large children's section; fast special orders; on- and offsite book events; and educator discounts. The store will aim to be "a place to browse through a large variety of books," where "expert booksellers [will] help with your search."