Cathedral Bookstore offers liquidation discounts before closing doors Dec. 31
A 25-percent-off inventory liquidation sale is in process at the Cathedral Bookstore, which is set to close permanently on Dec. 31 due to declining revenue and related expenses, Bishop John Harvey Taylor has announced.
The sale applies to all items in the store, located at the Cathedral Center in Echo Park and faithfully managed for 36 years by Canon Herminia “Mini” Hipolito. Accolades for the bookstore and its manager have poured in, on social media and in person, from long-time patrons expressing their appreciation.
“I want to thank all those who have supported the effort,” Hipolito said in a message to customers. “Stop by if possible and help me liquidate the inventory.” She also encourages everyone who attends the upcoming Oct. 22 St. Paul’s Commons dedication to visit the bookstore and purchase items.
“In recent years, Mini has been working hard as an independent contractor to keep our beautiful bookstore running,” Bishop Taylor said in announcing the decision. “I know we all love it, and hundreds around the diocese depend on it and look forward to visiting and also relying on the personal touch that Mini gives to each transaction.
”Unfortunately,” the bishop added, “we have not been able to resist the digital revolution that has transformed publishing and led to the closure of most of the nation’s bookstores. We just can’t justify keeping ours open any longer. If there was a way to make it work, our brilliant canon and Angel Mini, who has served the diocese since 1983, would surely have found it!”
The Cathedral Bookstore was opened in 1983 by the Cathedral Corporation as part of the Resource Center at the former Diocesan House. Start-up inventory was purchased from Ecclesia, a bookstore then closing its location at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Hollywood. Canon Randolph Kimmler, then executive director of the Cathedral Corporation, established the bookstore and hired Hipolito as manager.
The bookstore is open most weekdays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and some Saturdays. To confirm store hours, customers may call the Cathedral Center (soon to be St. Paul’s Commons) at 213.482.2040.
