Lincoln Road has been hit by yet another closure as Books & Books has shut its doors after more than 30 years. Located at 927 Lincoln Road in The Sterling Building, the asking rents were too high for the independent bookstore which also has several other locations including Coral Gables, Coconut Grove, Downtown and Bal Harbour. Owner Mitchell Kaplan reportedly said that in addition tot he rising rents, the impact of COVID-19 contributed to his decision to permanently close the store. Over the past 10 years Books & Books had already moved to a smaller space within The Sterling Building and stopped operating the outdoor cafe. Books & Books will reportedly look for a new Miami Beach location.
Other retailers to vacate their Lincoln Road locations include Steve Madden from Thor Equities’ 663 Lincoln Road, Kiehl’s at 540 Lincoln Road. This month Books & Books’s landlord Sam Herzberg sued to evict both Diesel USA and Perry Ellis/ Original Penguin from The Sterling Building for failing to pay April and May rent. Herzberg is also planning a 144-key hotel addition to the building after the City of Miami Beach recently changed zoning to allow hotels on parts of Lincoln Road.