Paris's 400-year-old book stalls fight to survive | Hacker News Reader

Paris's 400-year-old book stalls fight to survive

theguardian.com

51 pointsdiodorus12 comments

I understand it’s sad, but having been there a lot, I have to say it’s to be expected.

The stalls are mostly filled with paraphernalia for tourists. You’ll find first edition French comics, old magazines from the 60s, some fancy hardcover books to gift.

It’s definitely not somewhere locals shop. It’s part of the local tourist experience.

What I’m getting at is that they’ve created a business dependency on a market that is currently dry, using goods that aren’t popular with the locals. They should definitely pivot to cater to a local audience.

The tourism industry is dead without local government support. It will remain on life support until COVID is over or the lenders decide to scrap it. Pivoting to a local market will likely result in less revinue and a lot more competition. Banks might see an opportunity in creating other jobs but I doubt they will invest with a lot of uncertainty.

I was much more saddened by the disappearance of Albert Blanchard legendary second-hand math store in front of the Luxembourg garden. There, you could find real gems, math and physics books previously owned by the great french mathematicians (which were more expensive if they were ridden with handwritten notes). I spend countless hours there as a student, until one day it wasn't there anymore. You can still order their books online, but it's not at all the same thing.

These stalls never seemed interesting... they seem to be for tourists only.

That math store sounds interesting, have a link?

> People who in a good month were grossing €2,000 are down to €500, or less.

I’m somewhat surprised they could survive Paris on €2,000 “in a good month” in the first place, it’s not much even if the term “grossing” is misused here and taxes and other expenses have been deducted. Reminds me of my PhD stipend, which was somewhat higher IIRC.

I think they made money before and are now barely surviving. These are dead businesses, but the owners can string along because they already have their house and car paid up, their kids are on their own, and most of their retirement is paid off or they are actually getting some retirement.

The young people doing it are probably leading a bohemian life, or doing it until they find something else.

A lovely tradition. Once I bought an 18th century pocket violin (pochette) in the Latin Quarter and was able to purchase an 18th century print depicting one, both on the same day. Also they tend to have sane prices, unlike booksellers in the States (who admittedly need to pay rent, unlike the Parisians mentioned here).

Sane prices: There are only a couple of used bookstores on or near my usual paths, Second Story Books and Lost City Books. Last week I picked up Philosophical Logic by W.V.O. Quine for $8 or so at the latter. At some point in the past couple of years I must have picked up George Kennan's Russia Leaves the War from Second Story for $9.

Now, Second Story will sell you antiquarian books at prices that would cover a sound used car, and I see the occasional university press paperback priced in the $40s. But mostly, in my experience, American used bookstores price reasonably.

[Edit: corrected "Idle Times", the former name, to "Lost City", also clarified second sentence.]

I've found them an excellent way to turn a short walk to an errand into something that ruins your schedule. It's not just the books, but the conversation.

Arrrrgh - what I wouldn't pay to live near -that- !!

Move there? It's not that hard to do.

I do :) like at a less than 10 min walk. There are basically no tourists around now so I understand why business for them is not going well.. I am not sure Parisians buy their books at those stalls...I don't.

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