Tulsa's two 'Novel Idea' bookstores closing

Wednesday, October 29th 2003, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

A long-time Tulsa bookstore is closing, another victim of competition from the Internet and big discount stores. But as News on 6 consumer reporter Rick Wells tell us, there is a silver lining. An opportunity for a great buy on some terrific gifts for the holidays.

Scott Perry with Novel Idea: â€œItâ€™s like Christmas every day. You get to unpack new boxes of books." That's what it's been like for Scott Perry for the almost 20 years he's owned Novel Idea book Store. Fun, like Christmas. It's still fun and it's a business he'd love to stay in but the numbers are running against him. "When we really started seeing it was 98 and 99 when Amazon started growing."

Amazon.com has become a huge player in the book selling business. That's not the only change since he opened 20 years ago. "Most books were sold by independent stores. Now they are mostly sold by discount stores, like Kmart, Wal-Mart, and Target."

Customers knew Novel Idea as a special place. A place they might find books that other stores didn't carry, a place where they could meet and just talk books. Because of that unique relationship some customers like Debbie Cadieux have volunteered to help get ready for the closeout sale.

Scott Perry, "they're friends, they're helping me re-mark the store, it's, it's gonna be hard." And emotional, they're using words like closure, as if a very old friend were dying. But also talking about what will happen next. Debbie Cadieux, "How are we going to get together when this is all over?" Maybe it will be at a new business. Scott Perry is already trying to come up with something, something that. â€œIsn't quite as vulnerable to the Internet or Wal-Mart, not sure what it is yet but something."

No doubt another, Novel Idea. Both Novel Idea locations have been closed since Saturday, but will re-open Thursday morning for the big sale. The sale will continue until everything is gone.