Janet I. Tu of the Seattle Times reports that the Bellevue branch of University Book Store will be closing in the middle of next month.

About 20 employees will be affected. They are eligible to apply for positions at University Book Store’s six other locations. Those stores, including ones in Seattle’s University District, Mill Creek and Tacoma, will remain open.

Tu quotes University Book Store CEO Louise Little as saying the space, which UBS owns, is “larger than we need," and that UBS "is looking for a smaller space on the Eastside."

When I talk to Seattle-area booksellers, most tell me that this Christmas retail season was a little slow to start, but they report that their sales finished at or above expectations for the year. Still, the retail landscape is always perilous; let this serve as your reminder that independent booksellers need your support. Though it's easy to take them for granted because they've always been a part of Seattle, no bookstore is invulnerable.