The Evolving
Bookstore
My favorite bookstore is closing. It was a small,
independently-owned mystery bookstore that had stood in its same location for
twenty-four years. But more than a bookstore, it was a center of community,
hosting weekly author events, popping up at conferences and festivals, and
providing a home for reading and writing groups—as well as a place to hang out.
Its demise wasn’t as cruel as it could have been. The owners wanted to
retire—it was a closing rather than a going-out-of-business. But bookstores are
closing their doors everywhere, and whether you blame online sales,
intellectual decline, or the economy, it’s leaving an undeniable cultural hole.
But where many mourn the shuttering of the traditional
bookstore, others are finding opportunities to do business in a different way.
Pop-up Stores and
Facilities Sharing
One of the biggest problems faced by small businesses is the
cost of facilities. It’s almost impossible to compete with online retailers who
have not only seemingly limitless stock, but also don’t have to maintain a
physical presence. One of our local bookstores has addressed this problem in an
innovative way—by sharing facilities with another merchant. For part of the
year, the building hosts a bookstore. But in the autumn, the books are locked
away, and the facilities are taken over by a pop-up Halloween supply store.
This allows both stores to save on facilities costs, making the cost of
operation much lower.
Used and Discount
Books
While physical stores carrying new books are on the decline,
bookstores specializing in used books and factory seconds can be very
successful. Used books and new books that are a bit past their release date
cost less than new releases—sometimes they cost nothing at all. This allows retailers
to sell them for a lower price—which encourages people to buy more.
Specialty/Mixed Use Stores
One of our city’s last remaining independent new-book
bookstores does a brisk business—not only in books, but in stationery, t-shirts,
handbags, writing-themed trinkets, and its café. It hosts a variety of author
and community events, classes, and lectures, and has carved out a niche as not
just someplace to buy books, but a destination in itself.
The physical bookstore may be in noticeable decline, but it’s
incorrect to say that it’s going extinct. Bookstores will survive, but they
will have to evolve in different ways—make themselves indispensible parts of
the community over and above the role of purveyors of reading material.
How are bookstores changing in your community? What do you
think it would take to be a successful bookseller in your area?
Please leave me a comment with your thoughts and ideas. One
lucky commenter will receive a .pdf copy of my latest novel, Turnbull
House.
Best Regards,
Jess Faraday
http://www.jessfaraday.com
2 comments:
I'm so lucky to have several small, independent bookstores in my town...and a nice Barnes & Noble that is a wonderful community partner. I think it's tougher for bookstores to make it these days.
Hi Catherine, and congratulations! You've won a .pdf copy of my new book, Turnbull House. Please email me for details: jessfaraday-at-hotmail
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