We had some very sad news last night. SuperNova, Perth’s only science fiction/fantasy bookshop for many years, is closing down. SuperNova’s owner, Alwyn Hyman died last year, and I guess it has been hard for his family to keep the place running without him.
We usually choose to buy any sci-fi or fantasy there rather than from one of the big chain bookshops around town (the range is so much better at SuperNova anyway!), and have been going to the shop for years. M is sad because the shop had been around so long and was so much a part of his teenage years. We had no idea Alwyn had passed away until last night! – I feel sad that I had no idea. I guess there were no announcements in the shop, and we only go there on Friday nights and weekends – if we had been regular weekday customers we would have realised Alwyn wasn’t there.
I am mixing all my tenses – I can’t get used to the idea!
On a positive note, the guy who was hired to run SuperNova after Alwyn died is opening his own bookshop, so this town will hopefully continue to have a viable sci-fi/fantasy bookshop. Tim’s White Dwarf is opening just a few doors up from where SuperNova is. (I must ask Tim why he chose the name White Dwarf – I suppose Supernova Remnant is not a catchy business name 😉 This glossary defines both terms.) We went in and had a look at the shop. They are still working on getting all their stock inventoried, but the shelves were all filled, and there were a number of the usual geek types in there browsing and even buying things. Tim has a life-sized (or should I say to scale) Dalek named Boris in the corner of the shop.
M woke up when the alarm went off at 5 this morning, and got out of bed at 5:45! I wonder if this means he will start following my 5am regimen…
I am starting to think that Saturday mornings are always going to be difficult for me. This morning I just lay there when the alarm went off, and could not will myself out of the bed for a good 35 minutes!
Categories: Supernova, science fiction, fantasy, bookshop, Perth
4 Comments
I had no idea that SuperNova was closing down – it’s very sad news, both about Alwyn and the shop. Andrew knew Alwyn, but hadn’t heard this news either. I used to go there quite regularly too, and still do (or should I say, did) to get the latest Anne McCaffrey book as fast as possible! The major bookstores just don’t have the range in sci-fi/fantasy that SuperNova had.
Andrew andI hope that all the SuperNova clients will support the new store.
Hiya Kylie – yeh, I hope the new shop will be a goer. If you want to get anything in particular at the moment, go to SuperNova asap. The stock is selling at a huge discount, and you might want to check the place out one last time.
Actually I wish Tim would buy SuperNova’s stock. I bought Iain Banks’ Dead Air on Friday night, but it felt awful. I felt like a vulture swooping on a dying beast… 🙁
The first I knew it was closing down was when I went there on Friday to get a book or two for my sister-in-law’s birthday. (And perhaps something for myself, you never know.) The first thing I saw was the “Closing Down Sale – 40% Off” signs on the window. Then I saw the “Closed” sign and the padlock. 8-( Had to hit Elizabeth’s and A&R instead.
If you want to buy Terry Pratchett or Robert Jordan or whatever SF novel has recently been made into a movie, you can go to the major bookstores. But anything older or slightly less popular just won’t be there. I went to Supernova regularly for Egan, Bujold, the occasional Harrison, even Asimov (you can basically only get the Foundation series in the majors, if even that) – limited by my spending money rather than by the selection.
I guess there’s not much more to say other than that I hope Tim’s White Dwarf is a success, and I’ll certainly be in there doing my bit – but Supernova will always hold a special place in my heart.
Thanks for your comment, Sacha. Supernova will always be The Bookshop for me too, and I’m sad that it’s gone. The chain bookshops just don’t do it for me – so I am hoping Tim’s is a success. Must go there soon! (I can always find something to buy 😉 )