Perth Voice Interactive

THE internet has killed The Language Centre Bookshop in Leederville, which pulls down the shutters on 32 years on June 30.

When the Voice met sanguine owner Annie Folk on Monday, the 204sqm store was cloaked in shadow, its lights only turned on for customers.

Ms Folk says a combination of falling sales, soaring utility bills and new technology sealed the shop’s fate. She hopes to keep the business afloat online.

“We used to sell a lot of language books and audio packs to schools, but now a lot of teachers are using tablets and computers to teach languages,” she says.

“When TAFE, one of our biggest customers, stopped buying our books that was the beginning of the end to be honest. A lot of people would come in and pick my brain on what product they needed, then go and buy it online: it was frustrating and I began to resent it.”

Ms Folk adds many people now opt to learn languages online, rather than attend courses or use traditional materials.

At its peak the store employed four full-time staff but Ms Folk has been running the store alone since sales plummeted five years ago. It had moved to Carr Place eight years ago.

‘A lot of people would come in and pick my brain on what product they needed, then go and buy it online: it was frustrating’

To make ends meet Ms Folk plans to teach English and Italian and expand the shop’s website, adding 10,000 titles and hundreds of learning aids.

Hers is the latest in a string of bookshops to close their doors: in 2012, Borders high-tailed out of Australia and Angus & Robertson scaled back to a handful of outlets.

Last year’s arrival of an Australian portal for internet behemoth Amazon had local bookshop owners screaming for a level playing field on GST.

Books sold in stores attract the 10 per cent tax but books sold through Amazon’s Australian site do not.

Elizabeth’s Bookshop co-owner Harry Schmitz says customers may get a short-term buzz from lower prices but he says there will be real long-term impacts on the Australian economy and on publishing.

“How many local Australian jobs will be generated by the launch of Amazon’s Australian website and how much money will the government miss out in non-levied GST?” he asks.

“This website is another impediment to people visiting local bricks and mortar shops.

“I believe it’s another nail in the coffin for high street book sellers in Australia.”

Ms Folk, chairperson of the Leederville Action Group for 14 years, says the internet cannot replace human expertise.

“The high street can never compete with the internet on price, but you can’t put a value on good service and product knowledge,” she says.

“A lot of people try to learn a language online, but there’s no substitute for good materials and a teacher.”

by STEPHEN POLLOCK