Tattoo trade ends bookshop's story
 | | Brian Schwartz, of Offstage Books, claims visitors to Camden are more interested in tattoos than books |
A BOOKSELLER has been forced to close his business in Camden Town after 24 years.
Offstage Bookshop, in Chalk Farm Road, is relocating to Covent Garden because its owner claims people visiting Camden Town are more interested in tattoos than books.
Brian Schwartz, the bookshop's founder and manager, said: "Camden is for kids now. When I first opened the market hadn't spread this far down. But Camden has changed.
"It's become touristy in a food and drink and tattoo sort of a way. I came here because it was cheap and there was an interest in what I was selling, and there was the drama centre round the corner.
"But unless I reopen as a tattoo parlour then there is no future here for me."
His shop specialises in books about theatre and film and his clients included actor Helena Bonham Carter, radio DJs Zoe Ball and Chris Evans, as well as playwright Mark Ravenhills.
But it will close in the next few weeks - to be replaced by a food emporium.
Mr Schwartz is moving his business to an established bookshop in Covent Garden, called Treadwell's.
He said: "I will take my core theatre and film stock there. It will give me a chance to work on my website and mail order business. I'm glad to go. I need a change.
"There's an assumption you can make a lot of money here. But with chains moving in, it plays hell with the rents."
Mr Schwartz, originally from America, set up Offstage Books with his partner in 1982 after working for the New End Theatre, in Hampstead. Since then he has watched similar businesses in the area close down.
He said: "Compendium closed five years ago and the bookshop in Parkway closed last year. Apart from that there's Waterstones and one other bookshop."
He added: "The massage parlour next door is one of the only things around that's been here as long as I have. And I'm sure it'll be here long after we've gone.
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