Rainbow Books’ reading, listening and viewing options to go dark

Rainbow Books and Records at 1010 University Ave. will close Sunday after 24 years in business.

It is a small, local bookseller closing after the ballyhooed closing of large national chain Borders Books & Music — and the recent, quiet closing of The Book Rack in Stadium Mall.

For Rainbow Books owner Tom Farley, several factors — all technology-related — have led to the decision to close, beginning with online music file-sharing service Napster in the 1990s.

"Then it was Blockbuster, streaming video, renting textbooks online … and e-books were the last straw," said Farley, the last of four founders of the business still working at the shop. The first Rainbow Books and Records was opened in January 1987 at the Aiea Shopping Center under the bowling alley.

The store was "under lanes 23 and 24 and we heard all the gutter balls," he laughed.

"We all owned that one up till July 2007," Farley said. The partners sold the Aiea store to another person who opened additional stores under the name Rainbow Books and Music in various locations. All have since closed.

The 900-square-foot Rainbow Books and Records in Moiliili, in Varsity Center across from Puck’s Alley, opened in August 1987. Its clientele has "run the gamut, from intellectuals to street people, to (college) students, high school students and families would come in because we have a children’s section."

Its merchandise mix is 90 percent to 95 percent used books, and music and movies in various formats — even laser disc — while 5 percent to 10 percent is new.

"We have good values. You could get books for half the price. A lot weren’t even in publication anymore," Farley said. The average literature book selling new for $8 to $12 would sell at Rainbow for 95 cents. "It would be 20 or 30 years old," but it was still the desired book.

"We’ve stumbled on autographed books," but nothing of great value, he said. However, the staff has found money in books, literally. "A couple hundred here, a couple hundred there."

The store also carries music on vinyl, which Farley thought he might discontinue, "because they were not selling well," but "‘records’ is in our name." Audiophiles of a certain age are not the majority of his vinyl-seeking customers. "Ironically enough, my biggest customers are 18- to 30-year-olds," for whom vinyl is a cool platform for music.

Carolyn Hadfield of nearby Revolution Books at 2626 S. King St. is "sorry to see it go. People need a lot of outlets for books," she said. "I remember a time when there was hardly a bookstore. Honolulu Book Shop was about it."

"I’m sorry to see even the big ones go out," she said, because they were at least places to "see what was available." Hadfield is "sad but not surprised, given rents. It’s very, very expensive."

Marking its 35th year in business, Revolution Books has a business model that is decidedly different from mainstream book stores. It operates more as a co-op, with staff members who volunteer.

Revolution Books has no intention of closing, Hadfield said.

Its merchandise selection is quite different. "Most of it isn’t subversive," she said, though many of the selections are critical of globalism, militarism and other such isms.

There are other Revolution Books stores, but it is not a chain. "We are in a kind of loose network. Everyone is set up differently," but all carry The Revolution newspaper, and all carry books pertaining to the Revolutionary Communist Party, she said.

The store regularly hosts speakers and forums and will have some events next month to protest the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit set for Nov. 12-13. The bookstore is giving away free anti-APEC T-shirts.

As for Rainbow Books, Farley, 20-year veteran Wade Nakaya and 13-year employee Wendy Kim will keep the store going until Sunday. It will be open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. today, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday and from 10 a.m. "until at least 10 p.m." Sunday, though, it may close later, depending on demand.

As of Wednesday merchandise was marked down 70 percent.

While Farley does some online sales part time through various sites, some organizations and libraries have contacted him about donating his remaining inventory.

"I’m more worried about the shelves," he said.

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On the Net:

» is.gd/RainbowBooksFB

» revolutionbookshonolulu.org