By Victoria Hurley-Schubert, Staff Writer
One chapter of Princeton’s literary history is ending with the closing of Chicklet bookstore at the end of the month.
”The deal I had with the mall is over,” said Deb Hunter, owner of Chicklet Books, located in the Princeton Shopping Center on Harrison Street. “I can’t afford Princeton. We’re sorry to go.”
Ms. Hunter had an arrangement with the property owners to take the space after the previous tenant, Chestnut Tree Books, suddenly vacated. “The previous owner just handed in the keys and said don’t forget to feed the fish, so they needed someone pretty quickly,” she said.
There is talk that a doctor’s office will be talking over the space, but the lease has not been signed yet, so Dana Comfort, executive vice president at George Comfort & Sons Inc. of New York, the property management company for the 50-store shopping center, declined to talk about the change of tenant.
”We have asked them to leave. Chicklet Books paid a very small rent, not anywhere close to market rent,” he said.
Gross rent, that includes property taxes and association fees, is $30 to $32 per square foot, said Mr. Comfort.
Chicklet is 3,400-square-foot store, with a 6,000-square-foot basement space. It has been open for three and half years, and Ms. Hunter has been anticipating the notice to vacate at any time.
”We always knew this would happen, so it’s not a surprise. Doctor’s offices are moving in and paying in and paying (more than I can afford),” she said.
Ms. Hunter had also assumed ownership of the post office in the basement of the building, which is a contractual postal unit, similar to a satellite office, when she took over the space.
”We help two post offices in the area by being here,” she said. Customers can go to the Palmer Square, Carnegie Center or Kingston post offices for services. “That’s what people are most upset about,” she said. “It’s not a money-maker, it’s a community service type of thing and since it’s not a money-making deal, nobody wants it.”
Princeton will only have one bookstore in town, Labyrinth Books on Nassau Street. Borders, located on Nassau Park Boulevard in West Windsor, is also closing, leaving Barnes & Noble at Marketfair.
”People are also ordering off the Internet; I’m all for saving a buck, but then don’t complain I’m leaving,” she said.
The store will close on Dec. 31, and is having a closing sale until then. All inventory is 20 percent off, with some selections on the bargain wall costing $1 to $2. Even the fixtures will be available for purchase.
