From here:
It is with sadness that the Anglican Church of Canada and Augsburg Fortress Canada announce that the Anglican Book Centre at 80 Hayden Street will close on Jan. 18, 2013. Canadian Anglicans will still be able to order resources online and by phone through Augsburg Fortress Canada.
“Religious book and gift stores across Canada have faced significant challenges resulting in the closure of over 120 stores in the past 10 years,” said Andy Seal, Director of Augsburg Fortress Canada/Anglican Book Centre.
“Sales at our Hayden St. store have decreased each year since 2009. By 2011 Toronto sales were 28% below the break-even level. In spite of hard work and innovation, the trend has continued in 2012.”
I am rather sorry to see this since I have spent many hours browsing its shelves – although, not recently – and met a very congenial chap hawking ABC wares at the ACoC synod in 2010. He let me recharge my laptop battery at his stall even after I told him I belonged to an ANiC church.
Although I find myself somewhat dolorous at the prospect of entering an era of paperless books – almost all my books I now buy are for my Kindle – I don’t miss the overweight charges when I fly with too many books in my suitcase.
As this headline has it, “Modern technology catches up with Toronto’s Anglican Book Centre causing it to close”. I would have been happier with keeping the bookstore and seeing: “Modern technology catches up with the Anglican Church of Canada causing it to close.”
Yep, such a shame but we’ve got Parables. Its such a tiny and unsuccessful venture. Check the video, the coffee shop is probably bigger than the whole Hayden Store.
Red Deer and Saskatoon are how much bigger than GTA?
I have a Kobo, and have lots of novels and some theology books on it – but if I really want to study I use a paper book. I like to write notes in the margins, and it’s just not as satisfying on a Kobo.
A quick check of their website and I was not able to find a single King James Version Holy Bible! But lots and lots of CEB and NRSV books though.
Why an bookstore that is supposed to serve Anglicans would not have any KJV Holy Bibles is beyond me. Could it be that they have decided for all of us that we are to no longer have this Holy Bible?
AMP,
The generation gap is evident. THE KJV is not user-friendly and its language is archaic. I know, you’re going to say it’s “a classic, a master piece of biblical writing.” And perhaps it is. It’s just that, the KJV translation is not used all that much any more.
No offense. But just like I would never use the BCP to attract seekers, I would not use readings from the KJV during eucharist.
Let the tarring and feathering begin…
Hello Eph,
No offense taken. You opinions are just as valid as mine. However I feel that I should clarify what seems to be an assumption that you have made.
I do not prefer the KJV because I am old (actually only 49 years old), but because I have come to learn that the contemporary English language bibles have been translated from the Critical Text, which is not a manuscript but something that was written by two men named Wescott and Hort. I feel that God has led me to believe that His Holy Word is given in the Masoretic Text (for the Old Testament) and the Received Text (for the New Testament). Thankfully, these are the manuscripts that were used to translate the King James Version Holy Bible.
I would also like to contribute to the conversationi that I am currently reading a 400th anniversary printing of the 1611 KJV. It is printed in Roman Font (easier to read than the original Black Letter Font), and has preserved all of the original spelling (including the typesetting mistakes made by the printer). I am now into 1 Samual and must say that it is not at all difficult to read.
Additonally, my ten year old daughter attends Church with me, we go to the “early service” during which the BCP is used. She has her own copy of the BCP and she follows along and uses the BCP without any problem. Considering that my ten year old daughter is able to use the BCP I would conclude that it also is not difficult.
But the point that I was trying to make is that there are people like me who prefer the KJV and this Holy Bible is not even available for purchase at the Anglican Book Store. It is like someone has decided for us that we are to not even have the option of using this Holy Bible any more.
Point taken.
I too (though not a cradle Anglican) love the early morning service. Amid the chaos of my life, I can truly say that this service above all others allows be to experience the presence of the divine and allows me to centre my thoughts singularly on worship.
It is a simple service: quiet, reflective and poetic. There is a “flow” to the service that is calming to the spirit yet it engages me closely to the words of scripture and the sermon.
I am sad to say that it is not “seeker-friendly” because in saying so it means that we have had to conform liturgy to the masses.
Pity really.
The store closing is only a symptom of the disease. I believe that when the dust settles the only “Anglican” churches left will be a smattering of churches using the BCP. But that’s just me ….and the PBSC (Prayerbook Society of Canada) I would think
As a former ABC staff member (I worked in the store from May 1980 to December 1986), I am saddened to learn of the store’s closure. I have many fond memories of my time there, especially the sense of fellowship and community among all of us who worked at 600 Jarvis Street (the store’s location prior to the move to Hayden Street a few years ago). I made many wonderful friends, not just among my colleagues, but also from many of the customers that came through our doors. Friendships that are still there today. But when one considers the evidence, the realist tells me that moving to a new business model is the right thing to do. I wish the “new” ABC all the best 🙂
Greg Brown
Hamilton, ON