As chain retailers leave DeKalb market, smaller booksellers try to fill niche

DeKALB – Charles Sigwart thinks his business may pick up a little bit in the next year, even if his bookstore doesn’t carry the latest, hottest titles.

Sigwart’s business, Classic Books, is located in a garage at 115 N. First St., and open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. It holds about 15,000 used and rare books, many of which Sigwart, who is retired, has read himself. Sigwart moved to the area from Michigan in 1988 and taught computer science at Northern Illinois University until 1994.

He opened Classic Books in 2005 in a garage he rents behind a house, across from Walgreens and on the corner of First Street and Lincoln Highway, which houses nonprofit organizations and businesses.

He adds a personal touch to the book-buying experience, he said, by chatting and giving book recommendations, and the handful of regular customers he has makes it worth his time.

“On a nice day we might have six or seven people in here,” Sigwart said of his store. “If I was trying to make a living, I wouldn’t be here. But if someone wants to read an old classic, I’ve probably got a copy. You might say I’m in the book-recycling business.”

Sigwart said he thinks fewer people are buying actual books, and he expects that trend to continue if the DeKalb Barnes & Noble store goes ahead with its planned closure when its lease expires at the year's end. He said although he sells books for $1 to $3, people can turn to online retailers such as eBay or Amazon for a wider selection and sometimes a cheaper price, minus shipping costs.

Roger Hopkins, the city’s economic development consultant, said he has heard many residents question the future of book retailing in the area. He said some national chain retailers are being targeted to open a store in DeKalb, as well as independent stores in the northern Illinois area.

He said some people are upset specifically by the loss of Barnes & Noble.

“We have heard citizen comments about the need, and what a shame it is,” Hopkins said. “They ask, ‘Couldn’t we have done something more?’

“We’ve reached out to the local store and headquarters, but it just doesn’t seem like there’s anything that’s practical.”

Terrah Filipski, 18, of DeKalb, said although she reads most of her books on her Kindle, she does occasionally buy a book.

“I’d rather [Barnes & Noble] not close at all,” Filipski said. “They’re helpful and have a good selection.”

However, Sigwart and even the Village Commons Bookstore on Northern Illinois University’s campus are preparing in case residents’ book needs are not filled come the end of the year.

Village Commons Bookstore manager Jody Boardman said her store, which carries mostly NIU merchandise and textbooks, has a small book collection, she will serve her customers no matter the need.

“At this point, we don’t have very much need for those books, but we will keep our ears open and try to fill that need if it’s there,” she said.

Sigwart acknowledges he does not have the variety and number of books a chain retailer would carry, but he can provide book recommendations and a personal touch to the book-buying experience. He said as much as he would like to be able to offer a wider selection, he would not receive buying deals from publishers that a larger chain would. Instead, many of his books are donated to his store.

He said although there was never room or a need in the city for three bookstores – at one time, the Junction bookstore, Borders and Barnes & Noble all operated in the area – used bookstores may not fill the void. The Junction bookstore, which was located at 822 W. Lincoln Highway, closed in 2002, and Borders, 2520 Sycamore Road, closed in 2011 after its parent company filed for bankruptcy.

The DeKalb Borders opened in Northland Plaza shopping center in November 2001, a month before its competitor, Barnes & Noble, announced it was opening a new store on the other side of Sycamore Road.

However, as Sigwart thinks fewer people are buying printed books, he thinks there is a need for the experience, not the actual sale of paperbacks.

“Both Borders and Barnes & Noble shifted from just books to other media, they put in things like snack counters, trying to get enough sales revenue and make a decent profit,” Sigwart said. “We need something, but maybe not quite as big as a Barnes & Noble.”

Classic Books

WHERE: 115 N. First St., DeKalb, 815-748-3406

WHEN: Open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday