Liberty Books and News

c. dawson · Post by **c. dawson** » Tue Nov 21, 2006 10:55 pm

Swung by the new bookstore in the Beachcliffe shopping center, and found that it was open. The lady behind the counter said they started their "soft opening" on saturday. The store's not fully stocked yet (about 70% or so), but it looks like it's going to be a wonderful store, close to home for book lovers in the 'Wood.

One thing I noticed right away ... the biggest magazine section I've ever seen in this area, and certainly bigger than the one we had at Borders (when it was actually still owned by the Borders brothers!). It was amazing for the sheer breadth of titles they carry.

Free coffee is available too. Open till 9 six days a week, and till 6 on sunday. Check it out. Much closer than Crocker Park, and it's INDEPENDENT!

Shawn Juris · Post by **Shawn Juris** » Wed Nov 22, 2006 8:57 am

Sounds great. Should be interesting to see if there's the same jealousy expressed about Beachcliff as there is for Crocker Park. That area is really looking good.

Grace O'Malley · Post by **Grace O'Malley** » Wed Nov 22, 2006 9:15 am

Should be interesting to see if there's the same jealousy expressed about Beachcliff as there is for Crocker Park. That area is really looking good.

What a curious comment!

It's odd that you mention how nice Beachcliff looks when I just happened to discuss the same thing with my neighbor and we both had entirely different views.

Perhaps because we are women, (and I'm assuming you are a male,) but neither of us could see how the new shopping area was any bit of an improvement for Beachcliff both in terms of visual aesthetics and shopping opportunities.

The previous brick building was visually more attractive. The mix of stores and businesses currently attached to the center are none that appeal to either of us. Not only are none of the offerings anything that we need, none are sufficient to induce us to "window shop" (which gives the appearance of traffic.)

If the stores there are selling items that you want and need, then bravo! I myself was hoping for more. All I can muster at this point is a big YAWN.

c. dawson · Post by **c. dawson** » Wed Nov 22, 2006 9:40 am

That's going to be interesting. Though I think because the Beachcliff development is relatively small-scale, and isn't a faux downtown, but rather a traditional strip shopping center, it may not. I actually view it as a bonus, because it puts some very nice shops and restaurants right next to Lakewood. Yes, it's more competition to the local restaurants, but the restaurant slated for Beachcliff aren't huge chains ... San Francisco Oven is a Cleveland-based chain still trying to expand, and The Pub is part of a Cincinnati-based restaurant group (there are currently three other "Pubs," in Cincinnati and Louisville). First Watch is the only restaurant that's really a big chain, but it doesn't compete against too many local restaurants because it's a breakfast/lunch-only place. And the anchor restaurant remains Pearl of the Orient. When the Beachcliff redevelopment began, there was talk of Coldstone Creamery and Moe's Southwest Grill, but there's nothing mentioned about those in anything current I've seen. So there shouldn't be too much competition against Lakewood restaurants, and the retail mix also appears not to be competing too much against Lakewood stores.

If anything, I think the shopping center will help compliment the mostly-local retailers in the immediate surrounding area. If you go to the Crocker Park area, it's mainly national retailers in the main Crocker Park and the Promenade, and the surrounding restaurants and retail on Detroit is primarily national as well. In Rocky River, it's different. There are national retailers in Beachcliff, but they're surrounded by local retailers on Detroit and in the nearby Old River shopping area.

And ultimately, I'm just glad we have a nice bookstore. Nothing against Borders or Barnes and Noble, but I'd rather have a nice local independent store to patronize. It's nice to be able to literally run over there in just a couple of minutes (or even walk!), have readily-available parking, and be able to linger. Especially after seeing that enormous magazine section ... that's going to require a lot of lingering!

Grace O'Malley · Post by **Grace O'Malley** » Wed Nov 22, 2006 10:02 am

From what I understand, the Moe's that planned to go into Beachcliff was owned by the Avon Moe's and they decided to locate a second store in N Olmsted rather then Beachcliff because the rent was too high at Beachcliff.

Had Rocky River they captured the Moe's, they could have become the burrito capital of NE Ohio with a Chipotle, QDoba, and a Moes!l

dl meckes · Post by **dl meckes** » Wed Nov 22, 2006 1:13 pm

Grace-

My first thoughts were that the new Beachcliff could have been our Shops at West End and I wondered if they were going to do any "Wild West" shows where some poor cowboy gets shot and falls from one of the false store fronts, yelling, "Aieeeeeeee."

Ugly and cheap come to mind. Considering the look of the theater part of the mall and the shops across the street, I can't imagine why anybody thought that was going to be attractive or fit in.

I spoke with several people across the street and they said that the new restaurant was ok, but the most they could afford in the new mall was parking.

Shawn Juris · Post by **Shawn Juris** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 11:26 am

To each their own when it comes to aesthetics. While some may prefer historic brick, others like simply new. I've always liked that stretch of Detroit. Whether it's the strip with Max's Deli or the Old Detroit section by Geiger's, it's attractive to me. From what I've seen driving around Rocky River and the collection plate at St Christopher's, I conclude that there will be a base of customer's at these upscale shops. Even though, it's just a bridge away, there seems to be a greater divide to cross over into Lakewood.
As it turns out, there already seems to be some of the reaction that I was referring to based on the other thread. It may only be retail but in comparison to Lakewood, Rocky River has the upper hand at this point. But hey, once that Drug Mart gets renovated we'll really have something to get excited about. I can't tell you the number of times that I've heard someone beg for another discount "stuff" store. Now there's an anchor.

Jim O'Bryan · Post by **Jim O'Bryan** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 9:05 pm

I was wrong.

Nice magazine selection. 5 out of 6 of British Publications I like. 1 for 1 on Italian, 0 for 2 on French, 1 of 2 scooters mags, nice selection of art/air brush magazines, plus a nice selection of other fluf magazines.

Book selection a little week, but they are new.

All but 3 mags I get at Bank Street News and 7 minutes closer.

.

c. dawson · Post by **c. dawson** » Wed Nov 29, 2006 12:00 pm

you should ask them to see if they're going to carry the magazines you couldn't find originally. Chances are they'll have lists of what they carry, and they may eventually get them in!

Jim O'Bryan · Post by **Jim O'Bryan** » Wed Nov 29, 2006 12:31 pm

c. dawson wrote:you should ask them to see if they're going to carry the magazines you couldn't find originally. Chances are they'll have lists of what they carry, and they may eventually get them in!

CD

They did offer to get in anything I thought was missing. The woman at the desk mentioned they will have 8,000 titles and papers from around the world.

.

Phil Florian · Post by **Phil Florian** » Wed Nov 29, 2006 9:02 pm

I stopped in a couple of weeks ago and really liked it, even with thin shelves. I heard they are related to the people who used to have Little Professor books and my second favorite store in Cincinnati was a local Little Prof (the first was the original...I think... Joseph-Beth Bookseller down there). It was a great, kid friendly store without a lot of hoopla. This store had that jibe.

The periodicals were impressive, to be sure. In my area of joy...cinema, music, and video games...there were a ton of known and little known and even some unknown titles that I can't wait to get. The book section, as noted, was thin early on but even with that I found a short story collection from a relatively little known (outside of genre-lovers) author that I was hoping to get.

All I need is some $$$ and off I go!

Ugly or not, the store is a welcome relief from the drive and parking to Crocker Park.

stephen davis · Post by **stephen davis** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 12:04 am

Actually shopped at Liberty tonight. Saw some old Lakewood friends there. Found gifts AND cards. I'm glad they're nearby. Wish they had established themselves in Lakewood rather than Rocky River. Maybe they could set up a rolling sales cart at Marc's plaza.

Jim O'Bryan · Post by **Jim O'Bryan** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 12:11 am

stephen davis wrote:Actually shopped at Liberty tonight. Saw some old Lakewood friends there. Found gifts AND cards. I'm glad they're nearby. Wish they had established themselves in Lakewood rather than Rocky River. Maybe they could set up a rolling sales cart at Marc's plaza.

Maybe they could just send some sign guys to Sinagra Park to sit around.

.