I worked at this bookshop all through college and off and on over the years since I graduated from school. The store was never perfect (lacking decent sections for poetry, drama, biography). The buying and selling of books was secondary to the connections made with the full spectrum of people living in or passing through New York City.
The store is closing because the rent is too high, yes. But take it from me, the real reason Bookberries will exist no more is because our daily lives make no room for noticing or entering a place that doesn't scream a brand name at passersby, let alone making a purchase inside.
For the locals in the neighborhood, they found comfort in our corner store, and made substantial purchases when they wanted to. They also walked out and went to Barnes & Noble or logged onto Amazon.com when we didn't have the title they sought at the very moment they asked for it.
I don't have all the answers as to why "mom & pop" shops have disappeared from the sidewalks of my home city. I need to save money as much as the next person and I, too, would rather buy a book on sale from a large outlet than at full price from a store in a distant neighborhood. I get my news from Google Reader subscriptions and am asking Santa for a B&N Nook this Christmas.
If you've never had the opportunity to share a laugh or debate amongst the wooden bookshelves of Bookberries, then try to recall the nuances and familiarity of your grandmother's kitchen or your favorite spot in nature, and you'll understand why we need to take, at least, a moment of silence. We're not going to fight like warriors to keep independents around, but at least we can stop and recognize that there is no battle at all.