The renovations at the Book, Art, and Spiritual Center of Hillsdale include more than new paneling, a book mural, and a fresh coat of paint on the front of the store: BASCH will liquidate some of its inventory and use the empty space to entertain guests.
“The real purpose of these changes is to become more of a music venue with books than a book venue with music,” owner Richard Wunsch said. “As it is now, we have karaoke a couple nights a week, and we do an occasional open mic, or a band comes in, but I want more of an event focus. I don’t care if someone wants to have a wedding in here.”
Wunsch will remove two bookshelves in the back of the store to make more space for a music venue. Most of the books in the store need to be sold before the bookshelves may be removed, Wunsch said. BASCH is selling all books for half price Sept. 12 through Oct. 31, and books under $6 are selling for two-thirds the original price. Outdoor renovations will be finished by the end of September.
Wunsch hopes these changes to BASCH will help the store fit in with other social businesses on Broad Street, such as Here’s to You Pub and Grub, Broad Street Market & Tavern’s Downtown Underground, and the Historic Dawn Theater if it is reopened.
“I’ve talked to Richard about doing a student concert series there because I don’t know if karaoke is what college students are into anymore,” sophomore Stacey Egger said.
Books have cleared out fast, even though business has been slow due to the construction, which makes BASCH appear closed.
“We’ve had a good quantity of books that have gone to the students at Hillsdale,” Wunsch said. “I would rather see these books go to local people or students than out-of-town dealers, which might be the case if I can’t get the bulk of books out.”
Although much of the book inventory will be gone, there will be more space to socialize.
“I’m really excited, it will be cool to have the college community more involved in town events,” Egger said. “The changes at BASCH will be a good opportunity for students to go to events and maybe even perform at them.”