Spartacus Books believes gentrification caused Downtown Eastside store closure

On May 31, Spartacus Books will close its store located at 684 East Hastings Street to move to a new location.

According to a Facebook post made by the non-profit, volunteer run bookstore on Wednesday, it believes gentrification is to blame for it being “renovicted”:

We have called the DTES home for over 40 years. This is very sad news for our whole collective and the many folks who use our space. Gentrification effects us all and those least responsible are effected the most.

Follow our page to get updates about our situation. We will have statements, volunteer callouts and requests for support over the coming weeks. Please support your local radical book store and community space through this difficult transition.

The store has been successfully run for over 35 years by a collective of volunteers, despite a fire at its old location on West Hastings Street in 2004.

The space is often used for various events, such as poetry reading, feminist discussion club, and squeezebox circle meetings, to name a few.

Spartacus is also known for its selection of academic and scholarly publications, including journals and books, and hard-to-find publishers that aren’t available elsewhere in Vancouver.

Featured Image: Sparty Bks via Facebook