Saratoga News

The Book Market to close after four years in Village

By Michelle Alaimo

The Saratoga Village will have one less bookstore come March 8, when the Saratoga Book Market, located at 14523 Big Basin Way--downstairs from Blue Rock Shoot--closes its doors.

Details on just why the book market is closing are sketchy. Store owner Rachel Cart said she received a letter from Mitchell Cutler, who along with his wife, Tracey, and business partner, Josh White, owns Blue Rock Shoot, stating that her lease, which expires March 15, would not be renewed. But Cutler said he received a letter from Cart in December stating that she wasn't going to renew her lease.

Both Cutler and Cart agreed they had discussed Cart's plans to sell her business.

"I had decided a little bit earlier in the year to do something else to support myself," Cart said. She added that she had discussed with Cutler the possibility of selling the bookstore and hoped to still have it located downstairs from Blue Rock Shoot.

While originally open to the idea of having a different bookstore owner as a tenant, Cutler said he decided he did not want to rent to anyone else and has decided to use the space to expand Blue Rock Shoot. "It was just coincidental timing," Cutler said.

Cutler currently has plans to add a complete kitchen to his coffeehouse and said ideas for the downstairs area are not final yet. Some thoughts so far include using the area for office, storage and dining. He added that he would not start any expansion into the bookstore area until spring 1999.

Meanwhile, Cart is having a liquidation sale of all of the bookstore's merchandise, including the fixtures.

Cart noted that being located in downtown Saratoga has not always been easy.

"It's always been a little bit of a struggle," Cart said. She added she is losing a lot of money by closing the store, especially since she had prospective buyers.

"It's been awkward all around," Cart said.

The Saratoga Book Market first opened four years ago in a different location after Cart and her fiancé, Ian Oeschger, bought out a bookstore. Two years later, Cart moved into the downstairs area of Blue Rock Shoot after being approached by Cutler. She said that since cafes and books go well together, she agreed.

Cart said that while she is sad to see her bookstore close, she is planning for her future, currently looking for a job in publishing.

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