[Update: Last day, Sunday, January 29th, noon to 5pm] Last month it was announced that the Cellar Stories Bookstore would be closing at the end of January. And here we are. The shelves have probably been thinned out since this photo was taken a few weeks ago. While the store’s loyal customers may feel awkward scavenging the stacks, judging from the deep discounts, the owners are anxious to offload the inventory.
The message on their phone indicates that their remaining hours will be:
Thursday, Friday, Saturday: 10am to 6pm.
Sunday: noon to 5pm.
[Last day, Sunday, January 29th, noon to 5pm.] Earlier in the month they Tweeted, “Get here before we disappear forever on January 31st.”
From the store’s announcement last month:
We hope you will keep this place in your hearts too. Come say your farewells, share with us your stories and your memories, hug your favorite shelf, use up your store credit and redeem your gift certificates before it’s too late. Always support your local bookstores, be nice to your booksellers, and most importantly BUY BOOKS.
Founder Michael Chandley died in 2018, after 36 years at the helm. We wish all the best to owner Victoria Forsberg-Lary and Justine Johnson who have carried on since his passing. According to RI Monthly:
Forsberg-Lary met Justine, a then former Cellar Stories employee, at his funeral, and the two went on to work together at the store and become as close as sisters throughout the past few years. They plan to start their own book business after Cellar Stories closes its doors.
(More at ProJo.)
Cellar Stories, 111 Mathewson Street, (directions)