Death of Indie Bookstores?

Publishing news over the last several months has been filled with news stories about bookstores closing across the country. With the second largest commercial bookstore chain closing its doors for the last time in September, many people are growing concerned about the fate of brick-and-mortar booksellers. While I never enjoyed Borders stores myself, finding them poorly designed and too impersonal, I have watched with interest as other stores struggle to keep their doors open.

Last month, my Twitter feed exploded with stories about the imminent closing of St. Mark's Bookshop in NYC, a store that could no longer afford it's rising rent. On September 12th, the New Yorker ran an article titled Should we Fight to Save Indie Bookstores? For the first time, I began to feel truly concerned about the fate of bookstores across the country.

I grew up in a suburb of Seattle, which has for years been included in the list of the most well-read cities in the US. Many hours of my youth were spent browsing local bookstores, most notably the famed Elliott Bay Book Company, one of the largest and most successful independent bookstores in the country. As I grew older, I often found myself in the most convenient bookstores (typically the local Barnes and Noble) and I made little effort to seek out independent establishments. But I have always been drawn to them-- their

individuality, their homeyness, and the way they try to foster a supportive community of book lovers.

The book world is undeniably changing. Every week I hear more statistics about the transition to digital reading. This change, like most change for me, is both thrilling and a little scary. Independent bookstores will need to find ways to adapt to the new world of books if they hope to survive the decade.

Through this blog, I want to explore the ways independent bookstores are (or are not) adapting to the digital shift. I'm interested to see which stores will survive, what changes will be made to their business models, and how they will bridge the gap between digital books and the services they provide. Because I live in Washington, DC, many of the bookstores I will visit and follow are local. Still, as I have opportunities to see other shops, I will post about them and provide commentary on any major news items related to independent bookstores as they begin the transition.

The Elliott Bay Book Company (below), image from 5 Magazine