A heartwarming story in today's Washington Post tells of the local bookstore in the tiny town of Poligny, France. The owner was about to close the store, which she could no longer run, due to her failing health. One hundred city residents pitched in about $750 each to form a corporation to buy the lease and keep the store open. Good news.
Photo "courtesy" The Washington Post
But the story read as if this were some kind of peculiarly French coup, something that could only happen in Europe or perhaps The Twilight Zone.
And yet, here in our own corner of the world, Silicon Valley, a local independent bookstore called Kepler's closed down in 2005 due to a combination of high rent and competition from the Amazons and Barnes & Nobles of the world. A few weeks later it opened again, with funds from a group of investors in the community who refused to let it die. It remains open today.
The story of Kepler's and another Bay Area landmark indie, Cody's, is told in a fascinating documentary called Paperback Dreams, which we blogged about last year.
It's great that a couple of independent bookstores have found a way to stay open in the face of many obstacles. On the other hand, when a small bookstore in a tiny village halfway around the world makes international news by NOT closing, it's not a good sign.
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Comments
I know I have to be realistic but I just can't accept that books, magazines and newspapers are a dying breed. Maybe I'm just refusing to accept something that I can't handle.
Karin -- I have mixed feelings about the whole issue. I love the huge bookstores as well as the small independent stores. I enjoy my kindle, but we still have shelves full of books and I can't see that changing any time soon.
undertow! -- You have a good point about bookstores changing to survive. And thanks for reminding me about the year-end lists. That was fun, wasn't it?
Books are wonderful, no question. I think they're not dying in quite the same ways that newspapers and print magazines are. Today was the beginning of the annual book sale week at my son's school, in which families donate their books and then descend in droves to buy more. I usually work as a volunteer when the kids come from class, and it's very heartening. They're so excited. There are so many dreams between the covers.
R
Martha -- The Kepler's story was big news for months, and so was Cody's, but unfortunately Cody's did finally close and is no more. The San Francisco PBS station, KQED, produced the Paperback Dreams documentary which tells the story of the two bookstores, and they broadcast it last fall. I agree, the news is not all bad, for instance, The Tattered Cover in Denver has decided to start dealing in used books in addition to new, a la Powell's in Portland.
John -- We know from personal experience that even the chains screw up sometimes and hire people who read books. So you never know.
In a way, the recession could be a good thing.
Kindle is hideously expensive. You could buy several books for the price of the device.
But I agree that the shift is digital. It would be really interesting to see what would happen if indie book stores could form some kind of low-cost internet collective modeled on a Paperbackswap.com type of idea.
Pool resources, offer a greater online selection. Give credits for every purchase in store. Ten credits to equal a free book of any price from the online central point.
Great post!n Very thought provoking.
but foot traffic is terrible, especially compared to the B&Ns and Borders. i never realized how much until i started signing stock of my book around town when sales were zippy. the chains ran out two to three times as fast as TC. ouch.
i appeared at mostly indie stores on my tour, and none appeared too healthy, except for Books & Books in Miami, which seems to be thriving, and Powells in Portland, which I didn't actually speak at, but wandered in during a conference down the street. it was packed on a saturday morning.
Keep in mind that indie booksellers can sell via Amazon. And many indie stores have sites online. So if you're looking for a title but there's no book store in your neighborhood, check online sites for indie stores outside your area, before resorting to the big chains. Just a thought.
Stellaa -- You're right, my post is unclear. Cody's didn't make it. Long live Moe's!
Sgt. Mom -- I have no idea how small used bookstores have ever made a go of it, even in the best of times. But at least with an online presence they have a chance at success.
Rita -- You are in good company. So many people love the physical aspects of books, so it's unlikely they'll be going away soon.
Amelia -- Good ideas. To stay in business now you have to keep moving, try new things. That seems to be the common thread among the bookstores and publishers that have succeeded so far.
MissMisk -- Good advice. Self-publishing is an entirely different animal than it was a few years ago. Some new authors are having success with their books and blogs in Kindle versions.