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Macalester College statement on bookstore closing
June 29, 2004

Macalester College in St. Paul released the following statement regarding the closure of Ruminator Books, which is adjacent to the college campus.

St. Paul, Minn. — Macalester College has long recognized the value of having a strong, independent bookstore like the Ruminator (formerly Hungry Mind) in close proximity to its campus. Over the past 30 years, the store has provided textbook service, readings by prominent authors, and other cultural events and opportunities for our students, faculty, and staff and for the local community, which includes many Macalester alumni.

Just as the college has long benefited from its relationship with the Ruminator, the store has benefited from its relationship with Macalester: through textbook sales, business from the Macalester community, and the very generous terms the college has provided during Ruminator’s extended period of financial difficulty. These terms have included carrying an accumulated debt of several hundred thousand dollars, funds that could otherwise be used to advance our core mission of educating students.

For several months Macalester, the Ruminator, and a financial backer have been engaged in discussions with the goal of preserving the existence of the store. These discussions did not reach a mutually satisfactory agreement. Differences remained on key terms, and the debt continued to accumulate.

The closing of the Ruminator will be a sad moment for the college, the neighborhood and the literary community. At the same time, we should celebrate the contributions the store made during the past decades and look ahead to new opportunities to strengthen the attractiveness of our community.

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