From here:

It is with sadness that the Anglican Church of Canada and Augsburg Fortress Canada announce that the Anglican Book Centre at 80 Hayden Street will close on Jan. 18, 2013. Canadian Anglicans will still be able to order resources online and by phone through Augsburg Fortress Canada.

“Religious book and gift stores across Canada have faced significant challenges resulting in the closure of over 120 stores in the past 10 years,” said Andy Seal, Director of Augsburg Fortress Canada/Anglican Book Centre.

“Sales at our Hayden St. store have decreased each year since 2009. By 2011 Toronto sales were 28% below the break-even level. In spite of hard work and innovation, the trend has continued in 2012.”

I am rather sorry to see this since I have spent many hours browsing its shelves – although, not recently – and met a very congenial chap hawking ABC wares at the ACoC synod in 2010. He let me recharge my laptop battery at his stall even after I told him I belonged to an ANiC church.

Although I find myself somewhat dolorous at the prospect of entering an era of paperless books – almost all my books I now buy are for my Kindle – I don’t miss the overweight charges when I fly with too many books in my suitcase.

As this headline has it, “Modern technology catches up with Toronto’s Anglican Book Centre causing it to close”. I would have been happier with keeping the bookstore and seeing: “Modern technology catches up with the Anglican Church of Canada causing it to close.”