Bodhi Tree Bookstore Closes 12-31-11
The Bodhi Tree Bookstore closed on December 31, 2011. And so the New Year begins. The shelves are empty, online ordering is temporarily suspended, but our spirit remains alive and vibrant. Thank you for embracing our bookstore over the last 41 years. It was a collaborative effort created by you, our customers, and by us, the workers and servers, in our mutual inquiry and exploration of living a spiritual life.
Many thanks to all of you who came to visit us on December 31, 2011, our last day, to say “so long” and tell us how important and transformative, even life-saving, the Bodhi Tree Bookstore has been in their lives. We are grateful and honored by this recognition of our life’s work.
We started December with a 20% off sale of all items. Progressively throughout the month we increased the sale discount. On December 30, the discount was 80% and on December 31, our closing day, it was 90% discount. On this last day of retail sales, about 2000-3000 people visited and found many bargains. We closed at 5:30pm for New Year's Eve but the last customer left after 7pm. After closing, many of the staff came to gather and celebrate together this poignant moment in their lives and in the history of the Bodhi Tree Bookstore. Plans were made to meet again on a regular basis.
After the closing sale, we were left with only about 200 books, nothing more. We put them out on the free shelf in front of the Used Book Building and they too were gone by the following day.
During the month of January 2012, we packed away the important documents and discarded 41 plus years of accumulated junk, gave away piles of office supplies and some of the furniture. All the bookcases, pictures of teachers and spiritual leaders, showcases, and computer equipment was put into storage. By January 27, 2012 all the buildings were completely empty. The bare bones of the buildings looked serene and pure, almost Zen like.
We have a verbal agreement to purchase the Bodhi Tree Bookstore business and we expect to sign the formal contract the first part of February 2012. The new business owners envision an expanded Bodhi Tree including a cafe. They are currently looking for the right building somewhere in the West Hollywood/Hollywood area. Everyone is invited to share in the collective vision of a new store.
The 2012 New Year begins, one thought to be a propitious year of transformation. A vast array of possibilities await us including a Bodhi Tree Bookstore reincarnation. Stay tuned.
