Less than two years after opening its doors, the bookstore inside the Place des Arts quietly closed earlier this summer. The closure comes as the centre shifts toward a new strategy to position itself as a cultural enterprise, says the downtown centre’s general manager.

The bookstore, La Librairie Panache, sold French and francophone literature, games and stationery. It opened in January 2024 and ceased operations in early July.

“Retail stores these days have it tough and that’s basically what happened — the sales weren’t there,” said Place des Arts general manager Denis Bertrand in an interview with The Sudbury Star. “Right now, we are looking to alternatives to the bookstore, trying to find ways of keeping literature and books alive at Place des Arts, but that won’t be another bookst

See Full Page