Orca Books is moving (but staying downtown) and Pier 1 will close
Downtown Olympia’s Orca Books converted to a cooperatively owned business on April 1. Now, for its next act, the book store will move, co-op President Clare Follmann said this week.
The store is aiming to be in its new space at 315 Fifth Ave. SE by mid-June, she said. The new location is on the same block as Rainy Day Records.
Why move? Follmann said the new location has 12 parking spots, something the longtime store on Fourth Avenue never had, plus it offers some cost savings over the current address. The store will downsize to 3,500 square feet of space from 5,500 square feet, she said.
Renovations are under way. Carpet has been removed and the concrete floors are being polished, plus there’s a chance a mural will be painted on the exterior of the building.
To help with the move, the co-op needs small or medium-size boxes, as well as packaging tape and tape guns. If you would like to donate boxes, they can be left in front of the store’s existing location on Fourth Avenue. If you would like to donate packaging tape and tape guns, they can be put inside the donated boxes.
The store also is looking for volunteer movers. If you would like to help, send an email to clare@orcabooks.com.
Although the co-op received a $10,000 donation and a bank loan, it is still raising funds via GoFundMe. And the store is still selling books online through its website and at https://bookshop.org/.
Meanwhile, Pier 1 Imports, unable to sell the bankrupt home decor business during the pandemic, is closing all of its remaining stores, including the one in west Olympia, the Texas-based company announced Tuesday.
“As part of the wind-down, the company intends to sell its inventory and remaining assets, including its intellectual property and e-commerce business, through the court-supervised process,” company officials said in a news release.
Liquidation sales will begin once Pier 1 has been cleared by government and health officials to reopen.
If you know of a retailer, restaurant, coffee shop or other business that is opening, closing, expanding, remodeling, or changing its focus, send an email to reporter Rolf Boone at rboone@theolympian.com.
This story was originally published May 22, 2020 at 5:45 AM.
