SFist: Cody's Books on Union Square

Chris Maytag

Sat, 12 Nov 2005 16:40:41 -0800

I grew up - quite literally (!) - in independent bookstores. And when I was in my teens, in the 1980's, Cody's on Telegraph wasn't just a haven; it was something like a magic doorway (think Narnia) for this oft-troubled Berkeley kid. Independent bookstores really are different, and superior to, the big chains, even when some of those chains (Borders) are marginally less evil than their compatriots. Wherever I go in my rather extensive travels, I look for two things in a new town: the locally-owned, independent cafe, and the locally-owned, independent bookstore. With those two things, I can always bring myself to believe that everything will be alright. Kudos to Cody's for their third store. The City will be better off for it.

LLM

Tue, 11 Oct 2005 12:12:53 -0800

As soon as I wandered into this place, I wondered where it had been all my life ... it is so frickin awesome.

Derrick Schneider

Tue, 11 Oct 2005 06:54:48 -0800

Nolan, Thanks for filling us in. An interesting history. I bet K-Mart wishes they had held on to the stores, though. The rest of the company isn't doing too well.

Nolan

Mon, 10 Oct 2005 21:07:28 -0800

Derrick, After a little research I can tell you that Borders was started in 1971 by Tom and Louis Borders in a 800 square foot space in Ann Arbor. It expanded modestly (Cody's style, if you will) and in 1992, was then bought by K-Mart who already owned Walden Books. It then blew up into the parking lots of every shopping mall in America. (And in 2004 they got in bed with Starbucks.)

sam

Mon, 10 Oct 2005 20:08:53 -0800

thank you - for the explanation. Its a shame these places start off well and then lose their reasoning as they expand. I guess its like safeway with coccola buying the shelves. (see i understand in food terms but less well in other areas) oh goody cant wait to visit for the recipe books.

Derrick Schneider

Mon, 10 Oct 2005 19:26:35 -0800

Sam, Borders is a big chain that preys on neighborhoods where independent bookstores have established active communities (admittedly, B & N is much worse about this). Much in the same way as Starbuck's. Three times the money you spend in an independent stays in the local economy compared to a chain (see http://www.newrules.org/retail/news_archive.php?browseby=slug&slugid=150). Independent bookstores represent a greater diversity of reading material in general. Cody's doesn't take money for placing books the way the chains do. The Cody's cookbook section rules. Possibly Stacey's is slightly better, but you won't be disappointed. That is definitely something that the SF Cody's has in common with the Fourth Street store.

sam

Mon, 10 Oct 2005 19:11:53 -0800

why don't we like Borers anymore? Because they grew into a chain, a victim of their own success? How is the recipe book section, Derrick? Borders one is so cruddy, I can't find a recipe book section that makes me hungry Would love to know how Cody's do with the cook books

Derrick Schneider

Mon, 10 Oct 2005 17:37:39 -0800

Jackson, Yes, indeed (though I think the PH space has been empty for a while). I can't imagine he recouped much from whatever they scraped off the floor when PH crashed. Nolan, Happily, Cody's won't go that direction under current management (Andy Ross is deeply involved with various independent bookseller associations). They weren't even planning on expanding, but the chance was too good to pass up. But it's worth remembering that Border's used to be an independent bookstore (and Starbuck's used to be funky Seattle coffee shop). Do you know if management shifted all of a sudden? Or was it in the cards from the beginning?

Nolan

Mon, 10 Oct 2005 17:17:38 -0800

Watch out, the independent bookstore you love today could be the conglomerate you hate tomorrow. I grew up in Ann Arbor, MI and when I was a kid Border's was Cody's. Brilliant and independent. Now look what happened.

Jackson West

Mon, 10 Oct 2005 16:48:05 -0800

Best part -- a certain Governator was an investor in the Planet Hollywood chain, so his loss is our gain!