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Red Dog Books, a 9,700-square-foot retailer in Greenwood that bills itself as the largest independent bookstore in central Indiana, plans to either close or relocate by the end of March.
A tenant of Greenwood’s Allyne Parke shopping center, 1001 State Road 135, since 2018, Red Dog Books received notice on Jan. 14 that its lease will be terminated this spring, owner Christie House said.
The store had operated on a month-to-month lease for the past two years, she said.
Craig May, principal at Allyne Parke landlord Providence Development LLC, said the store’s rent is “well below market” rate.
May said all other spots at the 90,000-square-foot retail center are leased, and at market rate. Other Allyne Parke businesses include a Bonefish Grill restaurant and a Going, Going, Gone! outlet store operated by Dick’s Sporting Goods.
A new tenant is expected to take over the Red Dog Books location, May said.
House said everything in her store, which offers hundreds of thousands of items, is now priced at a 50% discount.
“We’re hoping to move, but there’s a financial barrier,” she said. “Being able to move a bookstore is quite expensive. If we make enough money through our sales, we definitely will move.”
Red Dog Books also established a crowdfunding campaign with a target of raising $40,000. For more information, visit gofundme.com.
“All great things do come to an end, but we don’t believe this is the end for us,” House wrote as part of the crowdfunding campaign. “We are asking our customers to help us into our next chapter.”
The commercial lineage of Red Dog Books dates to 1990, when former owner Wally Bryant opened a store known as Horizon Books at 1488 W. 86th St.
Although Horizon Books closed in 1992, Bryant subsequently launched other bookstores, including Thomas Books at 2284 W. 86th St. and Books On Sale, 4200 S. East St.
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