2A
Tuesday, April 16, 1996
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Adventure ending for local bookstore
Threat of national chain scares shop into closing doors
Walter Michener checked, but his bookstore did not carry the children's book that his customer was looking for. The woman could surely have found the book at a larger, chain bookstore, but she was content to sort through the other books and laugh with Michener about the clever titles she found.
Michener, owner of Adventure Bookstore, 844 Massachusetts St., thought that was the beauty of his bookstore.
"Each independent bookstore has its own personality," he said. "Every chain bookstore has the same personality."
Adventure Bookstore, which nau been at various locations in Lawrence during its 23 years, closed yesterday because of the impending arrival of a chain bookstore in Lawrence. Although nothing official has been announced, Michener said he preferred to close the store while it was still ahead.
"The era of the independent bookstore is drawing to a close. For us, it is much better if we choose the moment," he said.
Mike Wilden, city manager, said that people who represent Borders, a national bookstore chain, had talked with him, but that no official plans had been made.
"Adventure's closing seems premature, in my mind, because nothing is sure." Wildgen said.
Michener said that because bookstores did the bulk of their business during the holiday season, a chain bookstore would likely open in Lawrence before Christmas. That would affect Adventure's sales so drastically that it would be impossible to make a profit for the year, Michener said. He said that Adventure just came out of its most successful year and that they wanted to close while they were still in good shape.
Although the closing of Adventure will not be a personal financial loss for Michener, he thinks the closing is a loss for the city of Lawrence.
"The store closing will make Lawrence a less interesting place to live," he said.
He does not see the closing as an isolated incident.
"This is the same process by which unique downtown stores are being replaced by generic mall-type stores that are owned by national corporations," he said.
Paul West, co-owner of Terra Nova Book Store & Cafe, 920 Massachusetts St., agrees with Michener.
"The chain won't affect just bookstores," West said. "It will affect the entire downtown."
West said that Terra Nova was not planning to close. He expects sales to drop for a few months if a chain bookstore opens, but he is optimistic that customers will soon grow tired of a large, impersonal store. He hopes that the closing of Adventure will teach the community not to take independent bookstores for granted.
Michener said that Adventure's employees were encouraging their customers to support the other independent bookstores in downtown Lawrence.
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ON CAMPUS
French-language Study Abroad will sponsor an informational meeting at 3:30 p.m. at 4046 Wescoe Hall. For more information, call 864-3742.
- Lambda Study Group will sponsor a panel discussion on LesBiGay Awareness Week at 4 p.m. today at the Walnut Room in the Kansas Union. For more information, call Scott Manning at 864-2802.
KU Fencing Club will meet at 5:30 p.m. today at 215 Robinson Center. For more information, call John Hendrix at 864-1529.
Circle K, a community service organization, will meet at 6 p.m. today at Alcove D in the Kansas Union. For more information, call April Lauseng at 749-0871.
■ KU Environs will meet at b p.m. today at the International Room in the Kansas Union. For more information, call Sarbpal Hundal at 864-7325.
Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Workshop will meet at 6 p.m. today at Alcove C in the Kansas Union. For more information, call Michael McGinnis at 864-0413.
Hispanic American Leadership Organization will meet at 6:30 p.m. today at the Pioneer Room in the Burge Union. For more information, call Michelle Santoyo at 841-7890.
KU Bahai Club will sponsor 'Angels' at 7 p.m. today at Alcove D in the Kansas Union. For more information, call Crista at 865-1642.
St. Lawrence Catholic Campus Center will sponsor a church history class at 7 tonight at the center, 1631 Crescent Road. For more information, call the center at 843-0357.
AISEEC, International Association of Students Interested in Economics and Business Management, will meet at 7:15 tonight at 2023 Haworth Hall. For more information, call Brian Buckley at 841-7675.
The Asian American Student Union election is from 7 to 9 tonight at the Multicultural Resource Center. For more information, call Julia at 864-2088.
KBCT Student Ministries will sponsor a Bible study at 7:30 tonight at the Regionalist Room in the Kansas Union. For more information, call Adam Decatur at 841-1683.
Christian Science Organization will sponsor a meeting on "Who are you?" at 9 tonight at Alcove B in the Kansas Union. For more information, call Mark Mauer at 864-6262.
OAKS-Nontraditional Student Organization will sponsor a brown bag luncheon and meeting from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. tomorrow at Alcove A in the Kansas Union. For more information, call Laura Morgan at 864-4064.
■ Ecumenical Christian Ministries will sponsor a University Forum from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. tomorrow at the center, 1204 Oread Ave. For more information, call Thad Holcombe at 843-4933.
■ KU Karate Club will practice at 5:30 p.m. tomorrow at 215 Robinson Center. For more information, call Jon Sides at 832-1771.
■ KU Women's Rugby Football Club will practice at 5:30 p.m. tomorrow at Shenk Complex, 23rd and Iowa streets. For more information, call Stacey Stringfellow at 749-3380.
KU Gamers and Role-players will meet at 6 p.m. tomorrow at the Parlors in the Kansas Union. For more information, call Isaac Bell at 843-9178.
ANAD will sponsor an eating disorders support group at 7 p.m. tomorrow at the Curry Room in the Kansas Union. For more information, call Ruth at 843-3074.
InterVarsity Christian Fellowship will sponsor a manuscript study in the Gospel of Luke at 7 p.m. tomorrow at the Walnut Room in the Kansas Union. For more information, call Jason Brown at 749-2408.
Weather
TODAY'S TEMPS
Atlanta
Chicago
Des Moines, Iowa
Kansas City, Mo.
Lawrence
Los Angeles
New York
Omaha, Neb.
St. Louis
Seattle
Topeka
Tulsa, Okla.
Wichita
H I G N L O W
66 ° • 43 °
50 ° • 31 °
61 ° • 30 °
63 ° • 32 °
67 ° • 33 °
69 ° • 54 °
52 ° • 49 °
65 ° • 30 °
57 ° • 33 °
58 ° • 47 °
68 ° • 34 °
73 ° • 40 °
72 ° • 35 °
Source: Jeff House/KU Weather Service
ON THE RECORD
Five compact discs and four tapes were stolen from a KU student between 4 p.m. Saturday and 8:10 a.m. Sunday in the 3900 block of 10th Street. The items were valued at $1, Lawrence police reported.
A blue men's mountain bike was stolen between 8 p.m. Saturday and noon Sunday in the 2400 block of West 24th Street. The bike was valued at $280, Lawrence police reported.
was stolen from a KU student between 1:45 and 9 p.m. Wednesday in Templin Hall
KU police reported that $542
A yellow parking permit was stolen from a KU student between 3 and 5 p.m. Thursday in lot 90 south of Robinson Center, KU police reported.
A gold mountain bike was stolen from a KU student between 2 p.m. Friday and 12:30 p.m. Saturday from a bike rack near Wescoe Hall. The bike was valued at $40, KU police reported.
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