Hug your bookstore today
As the recession keeps its hold on America, I've seen more and more bookstore casualties. Today's newsletter from Shelf Awareness, notes two more: Shaman Drum Bookshop, an Ann Arbor, Mich., institution for nearly 30 years, and Conkey’s Bookstore, which has been in Appleton, Wis., for 113 years. We've also seen the trend in Maryland, as Vertigo Books in College Park closed in April.
In addition to the recession, the stores are being hurt by the digital revolution. Online stores such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble are ferocious competitors. And sales of ebooks are growing faster than any other category, as the Kindle and other ebook readers spread.
Many stores host events to compete. Constellation Books often hosts wine tastings, music and other events. The Ivy Bookshop and Greetings and Readings, like many others, attract authors for readings. Minas Gallery is a regular host for the 510 reading series. (You can find events in the Read Street calendar.)
Among the other innovations by stores around the nation: opening a temporary outlet at a farmer's market, or adding children's clothing to the mix of merchandise. Even Shakespeare & Co., the venerable Parisian bookstore where writers can get a bed to flop in, is modernizing, with plans for a cafe and theater.
Still, the storm won't break any time soon. So give your local store some love -- and let us know if you have other creative suggestions for local stores to lure shoppers. I'd hate to see the day when online sites, big chains and ebooks are our only options.
Comments
Great post, Dave! You've inspired me to head to my local bookstore on the way home from work today.
Posted by: Gwen Dawson | June 10, 2009 10:56 AM
Awesome post! Every day should be Hug Your Bookstore Day.
Posted by: Marie | June 10, 2009 11:35 AM
The real key here is personal service which needs people to be there for. Readings are great, themed displays, coffee and pastries are great, live music and poetry work very well, writers groups do wonders ( convince someone to teach a writing class) staff recommendations by actual people who you can talk to are even better, putting up local art (cartoons, photographs, paintings) on consignment makes for a nice atmosphere. There is so much on a personal level that can be done which cannot be done on the internet.
Posted by: Book Calendar | June 10, 2009 12:05 PM
AWSOME POST!!! The place I really miss is Biblelot which is now an Outback steak house. I don't have any book stores close to me (Highlandtown) that I know of. If anyone knows of one please let me know. I do visit the Pratt Library Southeast branch frequently. Dave and Nancy, this is a great blog which I discovered recently. Also, being 73, blogs (and other cyberspace gadgets) are new to me, so if I do not adhere to proper protocal, I apologize.
Posted by: SamD | June 10, 2009 12:08 PM
SamD, welcome to Read Street. Until you mentiuoned it, I hadn't realized how the east side of Baltimore has become a sort of literary dead zone. Most of the city's bookstores are streched along the north-south corridor that has Charles Street as its center. Red Canoe in Hamilton is over to the east, but that's hardly Highlandtown.
A pity, considering the area was the cradle for writer and Sun alum Rafael Alvarez.
Posted by: Dave | June 10, 2009 12:57 PM
My local bookstore, Womrath Bookshop in Bronxville, NY, has been in business for 70 years. Here's the link: http://www.womrath.com/
In addition to books, they have a wonderful selection of greeting cards and local items (Bronxville T-shirts, post cards, etc.). It's hard to go in to buy a card and walk out without a book. Womrath full-timers are very knowledgeable about books; and the store often employs on a part-time basis students from Bronxville's Sarah Lawrence College, known for its interest in reading and the arts. Sending books to any location is never a problem. Posters for just about every local reading and/or writing event hang in the window, so Womrath's has established itself in Bronxville as THE center for all things "book."
They've been very generous to me and my sister in hosting signing events for our books. We quickly realized that being authors in Bronxville means that you just have to have a signing at Womrath's. It's sort of like a rite of passage. And we know from experience that having the staff hand sell our books is a fabulous benefit!
Posted by: Gail Farrelly | June 10, 2009 3:29 PM
Thank you, Dave - we appreciate all the love!
I would like to point out a normally-unnoticed blessing: conversations with other bookstore customers. We had a cool dude in here this morning who was taking a break on his cycling trip from NYC to California. There were 'how did you handle last night's storm' and 'lighter-weight books to take/read' and 'what's the weather like tomorrow' discussions. Great stuff.
Posted by: Lauretta Nagel(ConstellationBooks) | June 10, 2009 4:52 PM
Thanks for pointing out the plans in in the works for Shakespeare and Co in Paris. My initial reaction was, AH NON! But, I guess, if they do it right--with the right people making the decisions for the right reasons--renovating could work without detracting from the store's world-renowned charm.
Posted by: Anne | June 10, 2009 8:18 PM
Re: SamD's question, does anyone know if High Grounds on Eastern across from the Patterson Theater still sells books?
And in case any Read Streeters haven't heard yet, Andy Rubin has reopened Baltimore Chop Books with a new name and location: Cyclops Bookstore, 30 W. North Ave. at Maryland (near Windup Space, catty-corner from Joe Squared Pizza). There's more space for readings and music. Yay!
Posted by: Paul Lagasse | June 11, 2009 8:42 AM
Hey,
As a transplant to Baltimore (and a amazon-o-holic) I'd appreciate it if someone would post a listing of local bookshops.
-K
Posted by: Kristy | June 14, 2009 2:56 PM
Kristy, welcome to B'more. It's not a complete list, but check out the "bookstores" listing in the categories along the right rail. There are lots of good indies in town. Over there ----->
Posted by: Dave | June 14, 2009 3:24 PM
Wow. So interesting and nice blog. It's Informative.
Posted by: Online Bookshops Girl | September 17, 2010 11:06 AM
I love it when a bookstore has a section dedicated to new authors. I'd also like to see a section dedicated to books set in other countries.
Posted by: Melissa | October 6, 2010 4:11 PM