Crown Books
Liquidated its remaining stores in 2001 after a second bankruptcy.
Crown Books, founded by Robert Haft of the Dart Group, was a discount-bookstore pioneer that undercut full-price shops with the slogan 'Books cost too much. Read a Crown book and save.' Concentrated in the Washington, D.C. area and other major markets, it helped popularize deep discounting on bestsellers. Caught between the new superstores and online retail — and roiled by a family feud over the parent company — Crown Books went bankrupt and liquidated in 2001.
Known For
- Deep-discount bookselling
- 'Books cost too much' ad campaign
- A D.C.-area staple