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A popular store is closing in downtown Apex, and now the mayor has a plea.
“For those who have the ability to spend locally, even small acts of support can make a meaningful difference,” Mayor Jacques Gilbert said Tuesday, June 9 in a video posted to Facebook.
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Gilbert urged people to shop at downtown Apex businesses after Alleyway Bookstore shared that it will leave its space. The shop said it’s facing rising costs and changes to foot traffic during a construction project outside its building on Salem Street.
Here’s what we know about the closure of Alleyway and the town’s plans to revamp Salem Street.
Alleyway opened in 2024. The shop on its website said it sells used books that range from “timeless classics to modern bestsellers.”
“For the past two and a half years, it has been a shock to us to see how popular and successful you have made our quaint, little store,” the shop wrote June 6 in an Instagram post, adding that it has gained more than 2,000 social media followers and dozens of five-star Google reviews.
Now, Alleyway will stop welcoming customers Saturday, Aug. 15. The shop in an email to The News & Observer said it will suspend its book trade-in program as it prepares to close this summer.
“This decision was not taken lightly,” the store wrote. “Our lease is ending in a few months and we had every intention on renewing that lease. We were presented with a 64% rent increase. As a small, used bookstore business, absorbing a sudden cost that high is simply not possible.”
Adding to the challenge, Alleyway said rent is going up “at a time when there is major construction happening outside of our door, affecting our daily customer traffic.”
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During Alleyway’s last days in downtown Apex, customers can redeem their gift cards and trade-in credits. Fans also can check for new arrivals at the store and follow @alleywaybooksnc on social media for updates about a potential new location.
The town of Apex, located southwest of Raleigh, has a nearly $4.4 million plan to re-design its main downtown thoroughfare of Salem Street.
As of May 28, work was being done to install light poles and soil cells, which will allow trees to grow. The project is set to be finished between early November and early January, according to an email the town shared with The N&O on Friday, June 12.
During construction, parts of Salem Street have been reduced to one-way or local car traffic. Sidewalks are open on both sides of the street throughout the project, according to the town’s website and Facebook page.
As Gilbert addressed the Alleyway closure, he said fellow downtown business Bella + Mauve Boutique shared it could have to make difficult decisions. Now, he’s encouraging people to spend money at shops in the area.
“Behind every storefront is someone who took a risk, invested in our community, and believed in downtown Apex,” the mayor wrote in his post. “Many are facing significant economic challenges right now.”
This story has been updated with comment from the town and the bookstore.
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This story was originally published June 12, 2026 at 12:11 PM.