The Book Room was an independent bookstore located on Barrington Street in downtown Halifax, Nova Scotia.[1] Founded in 1839,[2] at the time of its closing in March 2008,[3] The Book Room was Canada’s oldest bookstore (169 years), and the largest non-chain bookstore in Eastern Canada.[2] The shop acted as an important cultural centre for the local book community, offering support for local authors.[3]
When announcing The Book Room’s imminent demise, its president, Charles Burchell, noted that the shop had "survived two World Wars, the Great Depression and economic ups and downs over its 169 year history",[1] only to be shuttered by retail and economic shifts including online ordering and dual pricing schemes which render books more expensive in Canada than in the USA.[3]
See also
- John W. Doull, Bookseller
References
- Canada's Oldest Bookstore Is Closing in Halifax BCB News, 29 Jan 2008, retrieved 28 Nov 2015^
- 1000 Questions About Canada: Places, People, Things, and Ideas, A Question-and-Answer Book on Canadian Facts and Culture Dundurn Press, 2001^
- The End: Canada's Oldest Bookstore Shut Down CBC News, 29 Mar 2008, retrieved 29 Nov 2015^