RIP 2nd & Charles: Why the Closing of Bossier City’s Favorite Used Store Hurts

The sun is setting on Bossier City's 2nd and Charles as its replacement, Books-A-Million, opens up shop just down the road. For collectors of many kinds across the SBC, the moment is a sad one. Even though 2nd and Charles was once a B-A-M location, the return has been met with a public outcry that proves that it's more than just a store closing; it's the end of what was a cultural spot.

2nd and Charles is owned and operated by Books-A-Million. The biggest difference between the two bookstores is that 2nC sold not just books, but video games, music, instruments, collectibles, comic books, and more, and most of it was bought as used. Shreveport and Bossier City are home to a big population of collectors, which made 2nd and Charles a must for so many, no matter if you were collecting records, retro games, or rare comic books.

The buy/sell/trade model offered by the store offered a unique shopping experience that made the store so much more unique, piggybacking off the size of the 318 collectors market. Every trip to 2nd and Charles promised new shelves of unique things you'd probably never seen. Outside of collecting, there was a time before 2020 when the store was regularly hosting gaming tournaments, inviting the community to engage at the store.

When it was announced that Books-A-Million was going to open a new store in Bossier City, there was immediate speculation that it could spell the end for 2nd and Charles, because that's what happened when B-A-M was replaced in the city the first time. Those rumors were confirmed by 2nd and Charles not too long after the new Books-A-Million was announced.

Even with Books-A-Million now open in Bossier City, and 2nd and Charles saying goodbye with a massive sale, a significant gap remains in the 318 area without 2nd and Charles.