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"It's definitely due to the economy, and has nothing to do with parking," owner Lisa Estes said Wednesday, referring to the city's recent switch to a new downtown parking system. "I sent an e-mail out to my e-mail list at lunch (saying the store would close), and when I came back, I had at least 30 responses from all over the world saying Bay Street Trading Co. is such an institution. It's really kind of heart-wrenching for a lot of people."
The full-service bookstore sitting at 808 Bay St. first opened in 1979 under the ownership of another family, Estes said. She purchased the building and business about four and a half years ago.
She doesn't have a firm closing date yet, but expects the store will shut down by the end of the month.
It will hold special sales until then, and educators are invited to contact her for details on free posters and memorabilia. Anyone interested should first contact her at lisa@baystreettrading.com, she said.
Among other things, the store prided itself on its customer service and a wide selection of special area of titles pertaining to the Lowcountry, Estes said.
Cat Island resident Marilyn Pontious, who said she visits the store regularly, called its closing "unbelievably sad."
"They were absolutely marvelous in taking care of you," Pontious said. "You could go in and they could always get you what you were looking for and suggest other interesting books to read."
The store has long served as a place where "you come in and know the people behind the desk" and also served as a location for numerous book signings by authors from near and far, Estes said.
"Owning the store has afforded me the chance to meet lots and lots of people," Estes said. "I have friends all over the world and I got to spend a lot of time with many great authors and their publicists."
Estes, who also owns Estes Law Firm LLC that is located above the bookstore, said she doesn't know yet what will happen to the bottom floor of the building, adding that she doesn't want to see it boarded up.
"One of the reasons I've held on as long as I have is because I'm right in the center of the downtown core," Estes said. "It has been here a very long time, and I worry about the fellow merchants, Bay Street itself. I've spent a lot of time and effort being in support of a strong viable downtown core, and empty storefronts don't contribute."
