Beloved book store is 2nd business to close in 2 weeks as rent soars in Bay St. Louis
Two businesses that share a building in downtown Bay St. Louis are closing in March because the owners said they just can’t afford the costs of staying open.
Bay Books at 131 Main Street will close March 25, owners Jeremy Burke and his wife, Kristen Tusa, announced on Facebook over the weekend.
“Due to a significant increase in rent, it is no longer possible for us to remain open,” they said.
Gone will be the Dr. Seuss parties, the book signings and story hours that are part of this community store the couple purchased in 2011. Like other retailers across the country, they are fighting inflation and supply chain challenges, Burke said.
Their inventory of new and used books, toys, cards, stationery and gifts is being liquidated. Prices are being marked down, Burke said, and the sales will continue until the closing.
Word of Bay Books closing comes less than two weeks after the owners of Serious Bread Bakery in the Bay announced they are closing March 31 after being in business for 20 years.
“We can no longer afford to keep going here in the Bay, nor move to any other location,” the bakery owner said on Facebook. “We just want to take this time to thank each and every person who has ever come through that door, or to the farmer’s markets to help support us.”
Burke says they have no intention of looking for a new location because he doesn’t think Bay Books would work anywhere but in Old Town Bay St. Louis.
Cost of doing business
The rent increase made the decision to close final, Burke said, but it was time to move on.
He and his wife both have jobs and bought the store more as a service to the community, he said, and as a way to get kids interested in reading.
“We’ve had a great run,” he said.
He doesn’t blame the landlord.
Burke is zoning officer for Bay St. Louis and said, “I know first hand how valuable that property is.”
They have a good landlord, he said, but the property tax in Old Town has increased several times and insurance rates are soaring.
The bookstore survived tropical storms like Zeta, along with COVID, he said. The opening of the Bonnet Carré Spillway and the closing of the beaches probably hit them hardest, he said.
“It’s just the cost of doing business, at the end of the day, was too much for us,” he said. “It’s nobody’s fault.”
Unlike other people in the community, Burke said he doesn’t blame people moving in from New Orleans for the increased prices of property near the beach in Bay St. Louis.
New residents and developers aren’t just coming from New Orleans anymore, he said. As the reputation of Bay St. Louis grows, he said, people are coming from all over the U.S. to be part of the city’s success.
Reaction to the closings
Customers shared their appreciation for the bookstore and their regrets on social media.
Among the comments are:
- “So sorry and so sad. Little cozy bookstores are so dear and so unappreciated.”
- “Thank you for serving our community for so many years.”
- “Rent has gotten so high for some of our longtime shops that they are having to close their doors for good. I will very sadly miss Serious Bread Bakery and Bay Books.”
- “We visited several times a year and Bay Books is the first place I always go. I love your selection of local authors.”
This story was originally published February 27, 2023 at 4:22 PM.
