Mary Lou Davis will soon be putting her shopkeeper’s hat on the shelf, as March 30 marks goodbye to her beloved Bentleys Books.
“I decided to close the store because I could not negotiate what I believed was a favourable lease for the next three years,” said Davis, who is also a town councillor. “…We have had a rent increase every year for the last 15 years and we needed a break right now.”
“The traffic changes due to our retail growth leaves everyone trying to be more creative to keep their businesses profitable. It takes time to recover from any kind of change and I don’t believe a rent increase to stay where I’ve been for 13 years was financially sound for me.”
While Davis believes her business could have weathered the storm of big box stores opening in Cochrane and eventually even benefited from it, the rising rent was a factor she could not overlook at this point.
“Greed is the factor that’s causing her to close down,” said Gary Lefebvre of Phantoms Music in Cochrane, a longtime friend of Davis.
“I’m very saddened by the whole thing and that we aren’t going to have a community book store in town anymore.”
Lefebvre is also familiar with Cochrane’s high commercial rental rates; he relocated his music store from next door to the Texas Gate (then Stageline Saloon) to 3-214 Grand Blvd. West in 2012 for the same reason.
According to Mike Korman, economic developer manager with the Town of Cochrane, high commercial rates can be attributed to supply and demand. The average commercial space rates range from $18-$30 per square feet (plus an average of $4 per square foot for operating costs); commercial rates in the Quarry site are as high as $42 per square foot.
“We really do need more to come online in Cochrane,” said Korman. “With more spaces becoming available, this may take some of the pressure off.”
Korman said some 100 acres of employment lands (commercial/industrial) are currently allocated in the area structure plan in the River Heights community; the town is currently in the process of developing a neighbourhood plan and future construction is estimated to begin within the next couple of years.
“To everyone in Cochrane, I still live here and plan to for a long time. I have so many friends here and I hope everyone will come in and sign our guest book and share their email addresses,” said Davis.
“I need a people fix everyday and I will miss the daily interactions.”
Davis was well known for supporting community events and charitable endeavors through Bentleys Books.
She credits the backbone of her business to a solid staff and a supportive community.
“I have always felt like a leader in the community and it’s a responsibility I enjoy. We always sold tickets for whatever event was happening — theatre, school, church, music and sports — our window was a well known spot to check out what was going on in Cochrane.”
Davis recently finished her studies as a legal assistant and is working with a law firm in downtown Calgary.
