Owner and community devastated after fire destroys popular Oakland bookstore, displaces residents

Flames tore through a popular locally-owned bookstore in Oakland's Rockridge neighborhood early Tuesday morning.

Video shared by the Oakland Fire Department shows shelves of books engulfed in flames.

The fire that began at East Bay Booksellers on College Avenue is out, leaving charred books and broken glass, but traffic in the area is still being impacted hours later.

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Some told ABC7 News the popular bookstore was an anchor in the community, and meant so much to those who live nearby. Now, it's gone.

East Bay Booksellers owner Brad Johnson says he's just coming to grips with that.

"Still in a state of shock, very much sort of just overwhelmed by the scene," Johnson said. "I'm slowly feeling like I'm stepping into the actual moment whereas the last couple of hours it's felt like watching a movie."

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Oakland Fire Chief Damon Covington says the fire started at the College Avenue store at about 5:30 a.m. Tuesday, quickly growing to three alarms. It took at least 60 firefighters to battle the blaze, but the store is a total loss.

"It's sad. It's really sad," said Louise Rothman-Riemer with Schultz-Collins Investment Counsel.

They have an office above the bookstore, with an art collection that was lost.

"Because we were investment advisors, we had art made with or about money," Rothman-Riemer said. "Part of our collection is actually touring in a museum in Myrtle Beach, SC, but we still had a few pieces here in the office so it's devastating to have lost a collection we've been putting together for 30 years."

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The fire damaged at least one neighboring business and displaced five tenants, injuring one.

"It did auto-expose to the adjacent building causing minor damage," Chief Covington said. "One civilian was injured getting out of the building. Minor injuries, was treated and released."

The owner of the bar next door George and Walt's says their kitchen is a bit wet but the building looks OK. She says they hope to open Tuesday as planned. It had been robbed five times and she thought it was a robbery when the alarm went off.

Another person told ABC7 News this is the last thing this retail area needs.

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