City centre bookshop Boffins has announced it will cease trading on 6 June. The bookstore has been part of the CBD retail community for 37 years.
In an email to customers, the company said the rise of the work from home culture and a depressed CBD retail environment had led to its demise.
“The retail landscape has shifted significantly. The rise of “work from home” culture in the CBD, combined with rising operational costs and a tightening economic environment, has made it increasingly difficult for us to sustain our independent storefront,” the company said.
Prior to its current basement location on William Street, the bookshop was located in a two-storey premises on Hay Street.
“Since we first opened on Hay Street in 1989, our mission has been to provide “facts at your fingertips.” We have truly loved being your go-to destination for specialist technical manuals, local history, and that elusive “hard-to-find” title,” the Boffins team said.
“We take immense pride in our journey, from a niche technical shop to an “Aladdin’s cave” for bibliophiles. We are deeply grateful to our knowledgeable staff, our wonderful publishers, and most importantly, you. Your support has made Boffins a sanctuary in the heart of Perth for nearly four decades.”
The city is now left with Dymocks in the Hay Street Mall and the recently opened Pig Face Book Store on Barrack Street. There are also several speciality science fiction and fantasy book stores in the city area, including White Dwarf Books and Stefan’s Books. Across the train line in Northbridge, Planet Books has an outlet.
