There was a time, some 30-odd years ago, when tourists would travel to Sidney to explore the eclectic little bookshops that theyB次元官网网址檇 heard about in the scenic seaside town.
According to Al Smith, the executive director of the Saanich Peninsula Chamber of Commerce, B次元官网网址楤ook TownB次元官网网址� became a kind of phenomenon for the municipality and turned Sidney into an international destination for book lovers.
Much of that was due to Clive and Christine Tanner.
They moved to the community in 1982 and owned and operated a half-dozen bookstores there over the ensuing 40-year period and became the driving force in creating the Book Town reputation. Inspired by their visits to visiting Hay-on-Wye in Wales B次元官网网址� home to several bookstores and a popular literary festival B次元官网网址� they were inspired and determined to make Sidney a bookstore hub.
They opened their first shop, Beacon Books, in 1993 and specialized in rare and first-edition volumes. More stores followed, including ChristineB次元官网网址檚 Paperback Writer store. The building reputation led to the opening of more bookstores, not affiliated with the Tanners, and the Book Town concept was established.
B次元官网网址淏ook Town was successful and grew to a dozen stores by about 2005 for four main reasons, said Cliff McNeil-Smith, the current mayor of Sidney and the owner of TannerB次元官网网址檚 Books.
B次元官网网址淭o begin with, the downtown business district was excellent for local entrepreneurs (and) the local/regional customer demographic was excellent for new and secondhand/antiquarian books. (As well) Sidney is in a transportation hub (BC Ferries, Victoria International Airport, and marinas) with significant tourism. (Finally), Clive Tanner was a champion that attracted new bookstore owners to Sidney.B次元官网网址�
In fact, McNeil-Smith said that he returned to Sidney from Calgary because of a line that he read on the Sidney Book Town website.
It read, B次元官网网址淐all Clive Tanner if you want to join Sidney Book Town.B次元官网网址� The Tanners sold their self-named store to McNeil-Smith in 2001 and he still owns it today.
Sadly, Clive Tanner passed away in September 2022 at the age of 90, By then, several of the bookstores in Sidney had already closed and, in early 2024, Christine Tanner closed Beacon Books after selling her collection of more than 10,000 books as well as the shopB次元官网网址檚 shelving, chairs and antique fixtures to a company based in Creston, B.C.
The reasons for the closure of so many of SidneyB次元官网网址檚 bookstores are a matter of conjecture.
Some maintain that it was the advent of the Internet and the online availability of rare books. Others say that large retail bookstores created a level of competition that smaller specialty shops had trouble overcoming.
B次元官网网址淎 lot of bookstores have pivoted to where they offer all kinds of merchandise that have little to do with books,B次元官网网址� said William Matthews, the owner of SidneyB次元官网网址檚 last remaining specialty bookstore, The Haunted Bookshop. He explained that stores like his, which refrain from selling everything from mugs to calendars to fuzzy blankets and instead concentrate on actual books (what a concept, right?) can find themselves at a disadvantage.
B次元官网网址淭he thing is that the cheap books have become very cheap, particularly in the used book market,B次元官网网址� said Alex Matthews, WilliamB次元官网网址檚 daughter and partner in the store. B次元官网网址淲e have books that were selling in 1960 for $3 and today we can get, maybe $6 for that book. And at the same time, the expensive, rare books have become very expensive.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 not a great business model,B次元官网网址� she continued with a smile. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e been around bookstores like this all my life and I was always told that whatever you do (in life) donB次元官网网址檛 open a bookstore. I canB次元官网网址檛 help it, though. I love books.B次元官网网址�
Whatever the reasons, the fact remains that, with the recent closure of Galleon Books, only two Book Town locations remain in operation B次元官网网址� TannerB次元官网网址檚 Books and The Haunted Bookshop.
B次元官网网址淭he many little (book) shops added to the already vibrant culture in our community,B次元官网网址� said McNeil-Smith. B次元官网网址淎nd the feedback I receive is that both locals and returning visitors miss the stores that have closed.B次元官网网址�
This might be a good time to recall something that Walt Disney once observed. He said, B次元官网网址淭here is more treasure in books than in all the pirates' loot on Treasure Island.B次元官网网址�
And while the bookstores in Sidney have largely disappeared, the legacy of those treasures still endures.
