In the age of online purchases and electronic books,
physical bookstores might seem on the brink of extinction.
Borders declared bankruptcy in 2011, and Barnes and
Noble recently 1 suffering store closures around the
United States. However, 2 considering the intimidating
economic climate, now might be the perfect time to enter
a career in independent bookselling. Even as the world of
virtual shopping expands, the loss of bookstores has helped
remind customers of what the internet cannot 3 provide.
The internet cannot provide face-to-face interaction with
other people.
[1] The possibility of success in independent
bookselling has been proven by the Tennessee novelist Ann
Patchett. [2] She grew up with a beloved local bookstore
that eventually went out of business; after becoming a
successful writer, Patchett decided to revive the local
bookstore as a community resource. [3] Together with her
business partners, publishing sales representatives Karen
Hayes and Mary Grey James, Patchett opened Parnassus
Books in 2011. [4] Patchett attributes this unexpected
success in part to the importance of human interaction in
the discovery of good books: 4 “there are a lot of small
stores that can really thrive in this environment.” [5] The
store is now a fixture for Nashville readers and a testament
to the truth of this vision. 5
Other statistical trends suggest that public support
for local bookstores 6 is increasing nationwide. In 2013,
about 2,000 independent bookstores were American
Bookseller Association members, 7 . The following year,
California bookstores launched a statewide Bookstore Day,
during which booksellers sold limited-edition merchandise
and hosted author readings. Participating stores 8
reported: a subsequent increase in sales. These statistics
help show that the human element of book buying is still
key; author visits and personalized staff recommendations
lend the vital element of community to the experience of
reading.
Although the convenience and 9 brevity of
buying books online cannot be denied, the rise of this
purchasing model does not necessitate the extinction of
physical bookstores. 10 Patchetts’s emphasis on human
interaction highlights an important difference that results
in a competitive advantage: providing this interaction can
translate into both profit and community benefit. Many
people thought her project was absurd, but Patchett’s
success begs to differ— 11 and it highlights the importance
of community support in the effort to revive a local business.
physical bookstores might seem on the brink of extinction.
Borders declared bankruptcy in 2011, and Barnes and
Noble recently 1 suffering store closures around the
United States. However, 2 considering the intimidating
economic climate, now might be the perfect time to enter
a career in independent bookselling. Even as the world of
virtual shopping expands, the loss of bookstores has helped
remind customers of what the internet cannot 3 provide.
The internet cannot provide face-to-face interaction with
other people.
[1] The possibility of success in independent
bookselling has been proven by the Tennessee novelist Ann
Patchett. [2] She grew up with a beloved local bookstore
that eventually went out of business; after becoming a
successful writer, Patchett decided to revive the local
bookstore as a community resource. [3] Together with her
business partners, publishing sales representatives Karen
Hayes and Mary Grey James, Patchett opened Parnassus
Books in 2011. [4] Patchett attributes this unexpected
success in part to the importance of human interaction in
the discovery of good books: 4 “there are a lot of small
stores that can really thrive in this environment.” [5] The
store is now a fixture for Nashville readers and a testament
to the truth of this vision. 5
Other statistical trends suggest that public support
for local bookstores 6 is increasing nationwide. In 2013,
about 2,000 independent bookstores were American
Bookseller Association members, 7 . The following year,
California bookstores launched a statewide Bookstore Day,
during which booksellers sold limited-edition merchandise
and hosted author readings. Participating stores 8
reported: a subsequent increase in sales. These statistics
help show that the human element of book buying is still
key; author visits and personalized staff recommendations
lend the vital element of community to the experience of
reading.
Although the convenience and 9 brevity of
buying books online cannot be denied, the rise of this
purchasing model does not necessitate the extinction of
physical bookstores. 10 Patchetts’s emphasis on human
interaction highlights an important difference that results
in a competitive advantage: providing this interaction can
translate into both profit and community benefit. Many
people thought her project was absurd, but Patchett’s
success begs to differ— 11 and it highlights the importance
of community support in the effort to revive a local business.