Hooked on Books, a mainstay for more than 30 years on Colorado Springs' east side, is about to get hooked on downtown.

"I work every Monday out there, and I love it," Mary said. "I see people I've known for many years, and I've seen their children grow, and bring their children in. It pulled at my heartstrings. I hadn't told anybody yet that we were going to close, but I thought, how can we just leave this area that we've been a part of and just walk away?"

At the same time, Hooked on Books had withstood the recession, competition from other bricks-and-mortar stores and the Internet, and the increased use of the Kindle and other reading devices, Mary said.

Instead of closing the Academy and Maizeland store, it will remain open - but will be reduced in size by about one-half to save on rent, utilities and other overhead costs, Mary said. A March 12 party at the east side store will mark its 34th birthday.

Even as Kindles and other devices have gained popularity, the Cilettis have found renewed interest in books, especially among young people who make up a big part of Hooked on Books' clientele. That trend underscores what they feel is somewhat of a comeback for the industry, Mary said.

"We're finding that with books, people want to buy a special book for their children, and, just books that they remember," she said.

"People don't want to let go of that. There's so much angst every day that we deal with that having a sort of a comfort place and holding a real book is very special."

-The Gazette, February 26, 2016
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How could any of our legislators in good conscience have sacrificed the bricks and mortar businesses in our state - we who own real estate, finance inventories, pay property taxes, collect and pay sales tax, hire so many of the people who live and work here, pay their salaries not to mention payroll taxes, support their and our communities in a myriad of ways, form the bones of our communities street by street, brick by brick, anchoring the main streets and countless neighborhood business districts across this state from our cities to our scenic byways - for the sake of some bloggers who work out of their homes and add very little to the fabric of our community or the substance of our economy?

I have nothing against home businesses but government is not - should not be - in the business of favoring one type of business over another, one segment of retail over another, particularly when in the process they are endangering our communities and our economy.

The result? Given the sales tax we must charge and on top of that the money required of us to collect, account for and pay that tax to the state, Amazon has a nearly 10 percent advantage statewide over the businesses with which they compete - businesses that are the backbone of our community and our economy.

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