WED. AM UPDATE: Testimonial page is here. Press release is here. Drinks are on the house.BB NOTE: Just walked over to Saxby's to get a coffee and saw that Olsson's was locked up suddenly, with a padlock on the door and roses in the door. The signs say they are done. The roses broke my heart.
Here's all that I've been able to find online:
LATER: We have updates in the comments, but it does look like it's the end after 36 years.
The Dupont Circle location of local bookstore chain Olsson's abruptly closed today, with signs having been taped in the window thanking customers for 16 years in the Washington area. A single flower had been placed in the doorway, appearing to be the beginnings of a shrine.
The signs on the door direct customers looking for more information to the Olsson's web site, however no information had yet to be posted there about the closing as of this afternoon. The phone was not answered at any of the remaining Olsson's locations, which includes Crystal City, Old Town, Courthouse, and National Airport. An email to Olsson's asking for confirmation of the closure of one or all of the chain's retail stores has yet to be returned.
Olsson's filed for bankruptcy in June, shortly after it closed its other D.C. location in Penn Quarter.
Since we have so far been unable to reach anyone at any Olsson's store, if you have any information about the status of the other locations, please let us know in the comments.
6 comments:
There was an Olsens in Clarendon, up in the Little Siagon area,which I didn't know was there, until I drove past 2 weeks ago, but it had a huge sign in front "Going Out of Business Sale." It was open that night with many people inside, so whatever happened has been since then.
UPDATE Comment from the web: All five stores have closed. Dupont Circle, Courthouse, Crystal City, Reagan National, and Old Town-Alexandria.
The company was forced into Chapter 7 bankruptcy in June by creditors, re-organized and filed Chapter 11, and now has re-filed for Chapter 7 liquidation.
Also, a correction: Olsson's was 36 years old, not 16. It was DC's oldest independent bookstore.
BB NOTE: We are going into mourning. This is really, really sad.
bb
Yep, it was posted after I made my comment, so you're one of the first to report on it. In this ever transent city, it was nice to have some things remain the same ... oh well, one more gone.
I remember Olsson's from the early 1980s. It must have been older than just 16 years.
I believe that it's 16 years that Olsson's has been in the Dupont Circle location. Olsson's is 37 years old.
I bought my first Bob Dylan CDs at Olssons, by the way.
bb
I'm so sad to hear this, too.
Olssons and Second Story Books were my favorite bookstores in DC.
Faith
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