End of an era: Village Commons Bookstore closes after 50 years

DeKALB – Frank Donlevy met his wife Patty working together at Village Commons Bookstore in DeKalb and the couple married Feb. 27, 1993.

On Saturday, Feb. 27, on the couple’s 28th wedding anniversary, the bookstore closed permanently.

“We had a lot of good memories in the store, it’s where we met and where I’ve worked for a very long time,” said Frank Donlevy, VCB’s shipping manager. “I think we’re all really sad that the store is closing. We’ll miss it, we’ll miss our coworkers and we’ll miss the customers.”

VCB, located at 901 Lucinda Ave., Suite K, in DeKalb, has been selling textbooks and Northern Illinois University gear to students and the DeKalb community since April 1970.

Store manager Jody Boardman said the decision to close was made for a variety of reasons.

“It’s a combination of things: the pandemic is a part of it, as well as not having students on campus and the decline of the textbook,” Boardman said. “Every semester, there’s more and more students using e-books. … One of our best sellers is our clothing, especially during football season. This year, there really was no football season.”

Boardman’s father, Richard Boardman, opened VCB, and it has remained a family business.

“My whole family has worked in the bookstore, including my father and mother, my three sisters and my daughters,” Jody Boardman said. “We’ve had loyal customers through the years and generations of employees and students. We will definitely miss our customers and the relationships that have grown through the years. We are very, very grateful for all of their support.”

Richard Boardman worked in a downtown DeKalb bookstore after serving during the Korean War. He earned his master’s degree from NIU in the 1960s, was the bookstore manager at Holmes Student Center and then opened Village Commons Bookstore in 1970. He also served as president of the National Association of College Bookstores.

“At first, we had to alternate between selling textbooks and clothes during different times of the semester,” Jody Boardman said. “The only way to expand was up. In the late 70s, a second floor was added so we could sell textbooks year-round. … We’ve been known for our variety of items through the years, including a Hallmark card section, candles, stuffed animals, Greek gear and art supplies.”

Pam Boardman, VCB’s Greek department manager and Richard Boardman’s daughter, said it’s hard to find the words to describe what the store’s closing means.

“The store has been a really big part of my family’s life,” she said. “We’re extremely sad that it’s closing, but also extremely proud to have been a part of the NIU community.”

Danielle Kinser worked at VCB for almost a decade. She attended NIU as an illustration major and would shop there for her art supplies.

On Thursday, Feb. 25, she visited the store one last time with a friend before it closed permanently.

“I loved the store because it had a great family atmosphere, because everyone worked together as a team,” she said. “I’m really sad to see it go, and I’ll miss stopping by for items.”

Ryan Licari, VCB’s textbook manager, first started working in the store 21 years ago as a college student.

“I thought it was the perfect job for me because I’m a big reader and love books,” he said. “I’m sad that the store is closing because it’s an institution at NIU. Thousands of students have come here for their textbooks and apparel over the years.”

Kimberly Tinsley still has two T-shirts she bought years ago from VCB when she was an undergraduate student at NIU. She graduated in 2010 and is now a teacher in the DeKalb School District.

“I used to stop by the store for textbooks and NIU gear,” she said. “Sometimes I stopped by just to reminisce the college days. I’m really going to miss the store, and I’m just heartbroken that it’s closing. It was a part of the NIU experience, a part of a lot of our college memories.”