Hemingway’s Books, a pillar of the downtown Abbotsford community for 33 years, will close its doors for good on Jan. 17. The book and record store’s last official day open will be Jan. 14, with a final discounted sale day on Jan. 17. The closure of this iconic business is a part of a developing pattern in the downtown area that could signal a worrying trend for small businesses.
Paige Elliott, a resident of the area and active member of the community, has witnessed the shift in the neighbourhood over the last year.
“Hemingway’s announcing their closure felt like a signal of the end times of the downtown we have grown up with,” said Elliott.
While change is inevitable, there can be unintended consequences to the loss of small businesses like Hemingway’s. Elliott explained how mixed emotions can arise when it comes to local businesses moving into and away from the downtown scene.
“There’s some grief when a beloved business closes, especially when it closes due to increases in leases and rent,” said Elliott. “On the other hand, it can be exciting when another business moves into downtown. I don’t blame the customers or the small businesses at all.”
Some residents of the area feel there is a need for the city to step in and provide more support to small businesses.
“It’s pretty discouraging seeing the city invest in more development, when there are plenty of local businesses who are trying really hard to survive in the local economy and aren’t receiving enough support. I hope with a new city council that maybe this will start to shift to a more sustainable culture for the residents and business owners downtown.”
Elliott currently serves as President of the Atangard Community Project, a non-profit organization that provides affordable housing to students and young professionals in downtown Abbotsford, and has firsthand knowledge of the ways that gentrification and changing economic pressures impact a community. One of the main goals for the project is strengthening a sense of community connection within Abbotsford, as well as providing affordable housing for a vulnerable demographic amid rising rent prices.
“Many of the residents who live downtown, houseless or homed, are living [there] because it’s too expensive to live anywhere else. Yet, the gentrification is catering towards the wealthier people of Abbotsford. There needs to be an open and honest conversation about the impacts of gentrification and the societal changes of our city to hopefully bridge the gap, and prevent polarization.”
With an ever-growing population in the Fraser Valley, it is to be expected that more businesses will begin to pop up. Survival is rough for small businesses, and the community needs to remember how so many become landmarks in local communities.
“Local businesses are the heart and soul of our community,” said Elliott. “Pay attention to how the community is constantly changing and how your presence directly impacts that. The community here can be so beneficial and will be so much better if we all support each other.”
Eva Davey is a UFV student majoring in English Literature and minoring in Media Communications. She is a fan of poetry, oat milk lattes, and the final girl trope. Currently, her worst enemy is the Good Reads app.