As if independent bookshop owners aren't getting run over by enough trains already, a planned light rail line may spell the end of the line for Thomas Stransky in St. Paul, Minn. "We'll probably have to go out of business," Stransky says from behind the cash register of Midway Used & Rare Books on University Avenue, where a series of recent developments make it all the more likely construction will eventually start on a transportation project aimed at moving commuters between downtown St. Paul and its twin city Minneapolis on the other side of the Mississippi River. Stransky and an array of light rail opponents ranging from civil rights activists to government waste watchdog groups see the Central Corridor Light Rail Transit Project as a some $1 billion government boondoggle aimed at wasting taxpayer dollars and closing the book on local businesses.
To borrow a sentiment of a previous president, I can't help but feel Stransky's pain. I've seen plenty of mom-and-pop shops get pummeled by government transportation projects that claim to alleviate congestion and improve quality of life -- only to make both worse.
I visited Midway Used & Rare Books during a trip to Minnesota in January. I was drawn in not only by the words "rare books" on his sign but words of protest written on his shop's windows. How often do you see a storefront that raises the question, "Who is John Galt?"
I was also attracted to the store by the supply of on-street parking. I won't often make the effort to patronize a store if I can't park there. Not even a rare book store. I tend to buy heavy books or sets of books that are too bulky to lug around.
Stransky knows I'm not alone.
He is one of the business owners who has fought the project for more than two decades. If the Metropolitan Council gets its way, and it appears that's likely, the regional transit and planning agency will complete its $135 million-per-mile project by 2014. The Metropolitan Council will permanently eliminate all on-street parking and, if history around the country is a gauge, traffic will be a nightmare during the years of construction.
"It's tough to get people to walk anywhere in a Minnesota winter," Stransky says. "They're not going to walk from a transit station to get here. People aren't going to stop here when they drive by during construction, either. Traffic is going to be horrendous. They're just going to want to get home and they're not going to stop at a bookstore."
The project continues to face strong opposition from people who will be hurt by the light rail project. Minnesota Public Radio is the latest entity to file a lawsuit against the project. Meanwhile, a coalition of civil rights activists, business owners and Rondo neighborhood residents have also filed a lawsuit to stop the project in its tracks. Stransky wishes them well and plans to do what he can to stop the light rail line from destroying his business.
"I'll also keep putting up signs as close to obscene as I can," the frustrated entrepreneur says.
His feisty side turns to sadness when he reflects on the blow the Central Corridor will deliver to book lovers.
"A lot of customers tell us they remember coming here as a kid," he says. "They say, 'You brought the world of books to us.' They tell us that we show them there's something besides the Internet and chain stores. They find surprises here. Serendipity. You never know what you're going to find each time you walk in. That's the essence of what we bring to the community."
I totally feel the pain of this bookshop owner. I am a St. Paul resident and I knew that they were planning light rail expansion, but I didn't know where it was to be located.
I am not opposed to light rail because mass transit will keep a lot of cars garaged. It has been quite successful in Minneapolis. However, it would seems to me that they would located it next to the freeway where it would be less obtrusive and damaging local business. Leave it to the politicians to screw up a good thing.
UK
It never ceases to amaze me that the government can do what they want, when they want and where they want. I am not an ULTRA conservative but I like to think I am conservative enough to care about decent people trying to make a living. I long for the days when there were "mom and pop" stores where you knew people you dealt with and they cared about you. Now we are just a no name number in a line and the word "service" is virtually unknown in 99% of the places one shops. As a small business owner myself, I am apalled by this sad story and I hope Mr. Stransky keeps up his fight. At least he will know that he tried. Maybe he will even win.
Thank you Mr Lancette...as a resident of the neighborhood where this shop is located, I too am appalled at the prospect of losing this unique business...I visited there recently, and was amazed at the personalized service...the big chain stores cannot offer what they have..I know we need to improve our transit system, but at what price is "progress"? I thought government was trying to HELP small businesses succeed...we need to find a better way to do both.
Good piece highlighting the plight of small, independent bookstores (and other non-chain businesses).
I've had it with public transportation projects that sweep aside real neighborhood concerns (we have a particularly idiotic "Purple Line" project pending in my neighborhood in Silver Spring, Maryland) in order to promote "green" mass transit with dubious benefits.
What a pity that while this wonderful indy bookstore in St. Paul languishes in a mess of construction and no-parking zones, the book-reading public will be forced to patronize the lowest-common-denominator chain bookstores located at shopping malls with plenty of parking. Sad!
Instead of building ever more transportation infrastructure, why doesn't the government provide serious incentives for businesses large and small to embrace telecommuting instead? Telecommuting keeps fossil-fuel-guzzling vehicles off the roads and provides some productive, undistracted time away from the office for beleaguered workers.
Great article - thank you for keeping us informed. Here's another screw up the Government is causing. They need to spend more time talking to business owners that can be affected by their decisions and look at all options.
This has been my favorite book store for over thirty years and I've gotten to know Tom and his wife during that time. It saddens me no end to know that once the light rail begins to be built that they will most likely end up closing down. What has amazed me the most is that about half a mile away there is an Amtrak line that runs through both cities and pretty much parallel with the street they want to build on. I'm sure it is short sighted, but they could rent the track or buy land next to the track and disturb fewers peoples lives. As well as pump more money back into the local economy by helping the local Amtrak depots. But I guess it's better to destroy one of the most heavily used streets in the Twin Cities for a few years instead.
Of course, by the time the track is built all the politicians who voted for it will be long gone. Just like Midway Book and hundreds of other businesses.
Your idea is filled with common-sense thinking. I wonder if anyone did look in to that or if such a practical solution didn't occur to anyone.
Is there anything we can do about?