Montreal bookstore S.W. Welch is not closing!

Montreal book seller Stephen Welch announced on Facebook today that after being threatened with a 150% rent hike by landlords Shiller Lavy, news that prompted a war of words and a mini protest movement, he has struck a deal. His store S.W. Welch will be staying put in its current Mile End location, at 225 St-Viateur — at least for a couple of years.

“My landlord has had a change of heart and we have negotiated the lease for two more years at which point I will retire. I went up a little and he went down a lot. The outpouring of love and concern by so many people to our plight has been amazing and in the end effective achieving this result, thank you!! I will endeavour to stock the store with unexpected titles, great reads and unusual finds and to this end I am actively buying,so sell me some wouldja! See you in the store. Love SWW!“

—Stephen Welch on the arrangement with Shiller Lavy

See the complete statement by S.W. Welch here.

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