Blue Elephant Book Shop trumpets its last

It is with enormous sadness that I write to you today to tell you that the book shop will be closing, probably in mid-March. Whether it is because of the economy, e-readers, on-line sales, my own misjudgments, or, as is most likely, all of the above is immaterial. The fact is we are not selling enough books to sustain the business.

In our four years, we have taken great pleasure in our relationships with old friends and new and hope to continue that in other ways. We appreciate the support so many have given us. Until the doors close, we will continue to offer the same friendly service; and, as always, we’re here to talk about books.


Thank you from all of us,

Laura, Erin, Kimberly, Linda, and Rachel

We're changing to winter hours! Through the end of February, Blue Elephant will open at 9:30AM and close at 7PM on Monday-Saturday. We'll still be open on Sunday from 12:30PM-6:30PM.

Welcome to the Blue Elephant Book Shop! We're your friendly neighborhood independent bookstore in downtown Decatur, bringing you the latest great reads. With mystery, scifi, biography, history, poetry, fiction, nature, travel, children's books, and more, there's something here for everyone.

Check out our events for upcoming author book signings and other literary festivals, including our monthly book club. Read more about us, or see the favorite book picks from our staff. And you can always contact us by phone or email with any questions!

• Can't find the book you need on our shelves? We can special order books in print for you! Most orders arrive here within days, with no extra shipping charges to you.

• Looking for the perfect gift? We've got ideas for all your favorite book lovers, and we offer free gift wrapping for your purchases!

One of my favorite recent children’s books is called Once Upon a Time, The End.  In the story, a familiar fairy tale is compressed into just a few paragraphs or verses, given a humorous twist, and ends abruptly with The End.  I’m having a hard time with the humorous twist, but in other ways I can see the Story of Blue Elephant Book Shop.  This past Thursday, March 8, marked the fourth anniversary of our opening; Sunday week, March 18, will be our final day.  My fairy tale has been compressed in those four years.  Not what I envisioned when I started out, certainly, but that’s the way it happens sometimes when fairy tale meets real life.

“The End” for us means that we need to empty this space--books, bookshelves, furniture, and so forth, down to the coffee maker and trashcans.  Someone said to me this week that she felt like a vulture, but I look at it more like a Humane Society Adoption event.  I would love for everything in here to find a good home.  Some of the furniture has already been sold, but there are still pieces available and lots of bookshelves.  Please don’t feel self-conscious about inquiring; you’re doing us a service.

For the next week, we’re still here, still have books, and still love to talk about them.

Thank you, Blue Elephant

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