Melville House Books

Just days after MobyLives picked up a commentary from its blog about the difficult prices of classic books, leading London indie Crockatt and Powell Booksellers has announced yesterday it’s going out of business … today.

According to a report by Graham Neil in The Bookseller, “Co-owner Matthew Crockatt blamed the closure on the decision to open a second branch in Chelsea last year.” Unfortunately, shortly after they did so, an even bigger London indie, Daunt’s, opened a store nearby. Crockatt and Powell adjusted to selling mostly used and remaindered books in that branch, but it didn’t work and the Chelsea store went dark last month.

Losses incurred, it seems, has now brought down the remaining store, which originally opened four years ago.

Crockatt put on a game face, saying it wasn’t the economy or the general difficulties independents face nowadays. “We made a commercial decision that didn’t turn out to be a good one,” he says. “That’s life and we have no regrets. It’s been a quite brilliant ride as far as we have been concerned.”

Dennis Johnson is the founder of MobyLives, and the co-founder and co-publisher of Melville House.