Mini Book

Mini Book (Hebrew: מיני בוק‎) was a used bookstore in the Old City of Beersheba, Israel. The store sold fiction and nonfiction books in many languages, posters, and greeting cards. Mini Book served regular readers and economically disadvantaged families that saved money by buying and selling used study books.[1] For example, a 2006 price comparison by Maariv showed that Mini Book was affordable even within the second-hand book segment.[2]

Mini Book
IndustryRetail
FateClosed and dissolved
Founded1975
FounderCarol Refaeli
DefunctJune 2017
Headquarters
Beersheba
,
Israel
Area served
Negev
Products
OwnersCarol Refaeli (1975–2002)
Gideon Refaeli (2002–04)
Judy Freed (2004–17)
WebsiteActive page on Facebook

History

Mini Book was founded in 1975 by Carol Refaeli, an immigrant from England.[1][3] It soon became a major exchange of reading and study books for immigrant and Israeli-born populations in Beersheba and the Negev. In the 1980s, Mini Book became the corner store in the Hadassa Passage, between Hadassa and Histadrut streets,[4] designed and co-owned by the husband of Carol, prominent Beersheba architect Gideon Refaeli.

Carol Refaeli died in 2002,[5] after which her family continued operating Mini Book.

Philadelphia-born Judy Freed acquired Mini Book in 2004. She created its website and sold books also online. Over time, Mini Book lost in profitability due to competition from a nonprofit bookstore nearby,[3] reduced customer traffic in the Old City of Beersheba,[3][4] less interest in print books, and several moves of the store. In 2015 Freed started a closeout sale[3] and in June 2017 Mini Book closed when the owner retired.[1]

References
  1. Beller, Dani (26 April 2017). "יום עצוב לאוהבי הספרים בב"ש: החנות המיתולוגית מיני-בוק נמכרה" [A sad day for book lovers in Beersheba: The mythical Mini Book store has been sold]. Branża. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
  2. Kadosh, Nurit (11 August 2006). "ספרי חשבון" [Math books]. Maariv. Retrieved 5 December 2020 – via Makor Rishon.
  3. Kayam, Tali (5 June 2015). "סיפור לא פשוט: מה הקשיים שעומדים בפני חנויות הספרים הקטנות?" [An unsimple story: What are the difficulties faced by small bookstores?]. Walla!. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
  4. Yiftachel, Oren, ed. (2011). החייאה עירונית – העיר העתיקה בבאר-שבע; הפסאז'ים כמקרה בוחן [Urban revival – The Old City of Beersheba; The shopping arcades as a test case] (PDF) (Report). Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. Retrieved 9 December 2020.
  5. "קרול רפאלי" [Carol Refaeli]. Billion Graves. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
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