Curiosity House reaches its final chapter
Dear Echo readers:
The past six months have been a rollercoaster ride for the staff and partners of Curiosity House.
In November of 2011, we learned that the building which houses our business had been sold and that we would not have an option to renew our lease. Catherine and Miriam were also committed to taking their lives into new directions, which would allow more time for family and travel as well as volunteer and artistic pursuits. To that end, we have spent the past six months working hard to find affordable new rental space and energetic new owners to take up our mission of connecting our customers with the best possible offerings in the world of books and local art. Unfortunately, our efforts have not been successful and we are saddened to announce that Curiosity House Bookstore & Gallery will be closing its doors at the end of May.
The current partners of Curiosity House have walked in the very impressive footsteps of such illustrious people as founding partners Pat and Chris Raible, and their successor, Louise Richardson. We are proud to have spent the past six years working hard to bring our customers the best selection, service and programming possible and we are happy to have been chosen one of Canada’s Top Ten Independent Bookstores, by the CBC Radio book club. We have worked hard to be a valuable contributor to the cultural landscape of the village and we have tried to expand our outreach efforts to connect with a larger portion of the local population.
No business can become a success without the considerable efforts of talented and enthusiastic staff. We have been very lucky to have wonderful employees who understand that excellent service is key to the success of any small business. We would like to express our thanks to them for a job very well done.
We also take this opportunity to thank our customers for their continued patronage, during a time when independent booksellers face the dual challenges of online and discount retailers and ebooks. You have kept this business moving forward during a very difficult time in the retail and publishing industry and it has been a real privilege to have served you over the past six years.
When the outcome of a situation is not what we hoped for, we have two options. We can either view it as failure or, as we believe, we can take it as an opportunity to acknowledge our successes. To that end, the partners at Curiosity House have decided to spend the month of May celebrating the wonderful relationships that have sustained us over the years. Beginning May 4, we are having a storewide sale. On Saturday, May 19, we invite you to join us at our “Farewell to Curiosity House” party. This will be our way of saying, “Thank you!” to our customers, staff, family and friends for their loyalty and support over the past six years.
The Partners of Curiosity House Bookstore & Gallery: Catherine Randall, Miriam Vince, Rowlie Fleming, Tom Vandewater and with the memory of our dear friend, Jim Vandewater.
