Edmonton's Mandolin Books to close in September

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In September, Mandolin Books and Coffee Company in Edmonton’s Highlands neighbourhood will shut its doors for good, marking the last chapter of a business that stood as a pillar in the community.

Constructed in the 1950s, Mandolin has been a staple in the Highlands region — located at 6419 112 Ave. — for over 20 years, 10 of those with owner Lianne Traynor at the helm. When Traynor announced the closure online, ripples of grief washed over patrons.

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“There’s a wound to the neighbourhood and I don’t know if the new building owners understand that. They may, they may not,” Traynor said.

“The level of attachment and grief that people are feeling is astounding,” Traynor said.

Community-minded history

Sharon Skage opened the store in 2003. Skage and her family struggled to name the store but mandolin was on a shortlist. Driving one day, she heard Joni Mitchell’s Song for Sharon with the lyrics, “I went to Staten Island, Sharon / To buy myself a mandolin” and saw it as a sign.

After Skage ran the store for five years, Boyd and Laura England took over and expanded operations, extending the hours and beefing up java offerings. When Traynor took over, it was almost as if the shop reached out to her — or at least Boyd did.

Walking back from church one day, Traynor saw the Englands in their yard and stopped to chat.

“I said, ‘Hey, what happened? I thought you had a buyer,’ because they’d been trying to sell for about a year and a half.”

“And then Boyd laughed at me. He said, ‘No, not unless you’re buying.’”

Traynor bought the store in 2014, prompting what she described with a laugh as a “violent awakening.” Putting the deposit down in June, Traynor took over the shop that September.

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“In August, I came and I had to set up, I had to incorporate, I had to set up bank accounts, I had to get a business licence, I had to learn how to steam milk,” Traynor said.

The closure

While Mandolin has been in the building for 21 years, the property was owned by a family who had passed it down through generations, according to Traynor. Looking to upgrade the building, the previous owners explored the possibility of renovating its front and redoing the electrical work to allow for air conditioning.

When a long-term tenant of the apartment above the store died, adding even more renovations, the family decided to sell.

Traynor considered buying the building, but the bank’s assessment of the property value was lower than the listed price and it would not grant a bigger loan. Conversely, the sellers received four offers within a month at or near the asking price with no conditions.

“Fair and square, that’s how capitalism works,” Traynor said with a shrug.

When the current property owners took possession of the building, Traynor said she was initially assured she’d have a year before Mandolin would have to vacate. She said they had been clear from the start that the location was being considered for a new Candid Coffee Roasters location.

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However, shortly after the property exchanged hands, the deadline for the store’s closure was pushed up to September.

“There’s sudden competition in the coffee world. In Edmonton, the local roasters are eyeing Highlands, which has become very trendy,” Traynor said.

Not wanting to miss their opportunity to get a foothold in the coveted Highlands market, the new owners told Traynor that Mandolin would have to be out by Sept. 30. Candid Coffee Roasters was contacted by Postmedia for the article but declined to comment.

In just two-and-a-half months, Traynor had to liquidate the entire store — a process that is still ongoing.

Loss of the third place

On Mandolin’s banner above the entrance, the offerings list coffee, food, books and community.

“This place is more than just a coffee shop,” Traynor said. “You cannot replace Mandolin with just another coffee shop. Mandolin is very unique — the decor, the ambiance that’s created with the books and the vintage furniture (are) very comforting.

Customers aren’t just sad about seeing the end — Traynor said they’re mad.

“It’s like they’re having their third place ripped away from them,” she said.

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A third place is a sociology term referring to a space other than home (first place) or work (second place). The third place is sometimes called the community space because many have credited these areas as the foundation of community.

“People feel at home here,” Traynor said.

When the store closes, Traynor said she’ll be thinking of happy memories as the shop was never a major source of income.

“I do it for love and lattes,” she said with a chuckle.

The many first dates, the book club, the knitting club, the group of senior men who debated the news, and a daily patron named Bob who collected books and asked everyone what their favourite was — Traynor will have no shortage of people to remember.

What’s next

Moving the store was never an option.

“I can’t even imagine Mandolin outside of Highlands,” Traynor said.

She’s auctioning off everything: books, furniture, and even a titular mandolin.

Traynor looks forward to a 10-year overdue vacation, being with family and, of course, reading.

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