“French authors, booksellers and publishers are imploring the French government to allow bookshops to stay open because reading is ‘essential’, as the country enters a national four-week lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus.” – The Guardian
Owner Nancy Wyden said “the call for help produced a boom in business on Saturday: a single-day record of 10,000 online orders, so many that the website crashed. That day was also the best single day in the month of October that the flagship store, near Union Square, has ever had, and the best day … Continue reading “Strand Bookstore Puts Out SOS, Is Overwhelmed With Support”
Before the pandemic, indie bookstores were reviving to the tune of hundreds more per year. Now they’re closing, about one per week, and as a certain online behemoth pushed a certain discount deal, locals are sharpening their stilettos – and asking for help. – The New York Times
Terrifying for book lovers, that is. Take Vroman’s in Los Angeles, for instance. “The past several years had been among the bookstore’s most profitable, ‘and all of a sudden, you fall off a cliff.’” – Los Angeles Times
There’s the issue of not properly protecting workers in the pandemic. And in April, the Strand was approved for a PPP loan of $1–2 million to retain 212 jobs. Given that those jobs were not actually protected, workers in the store want to know where the money went. – The Baffler
“As the novel coronavirus takes its toll on businesses all over the world, many well-meaning consumers have flocked to local community bookstores. However, increased demand on these small shops has put a strain on business owners. Even worse, some have received backlash from impatient and disgruntled customers for slow shipping or sold out inventories.” – … Continue reading “During The Pandemic, Small Local Bookstores Have Gotten More Love Than They Can Handle (And Customers Don’t Love That)”
Decades, even centuries, of history and tradition are disappearing because of market forces, and the pandemic that we are all suffering through has sped matters up. – The Critic
“Co-owners Rebecca Fitting and Jessica Stockton-Bagnulo acknowledged that Black customers and employees have felt unwelcome and disrespected, that poor training had led to racial profiling in their stores, and that the company had not succeeded in creating an anti-racist space.” They say they’ll do better, including talking with the neighbors about gentrification without getting defensive. … Continue reading “Brooklyn’s Greenlight Bookstore Acknowledges Black Staff And Customers Haven’t Been Treated Well”
Customer expectations that independent booksellers will do what a massive online operation does has caused deep frustration. – Publishers Weekly
Yay for all of the many, many, many, many, MANY ways bookstores have figured out ways to stay afloat and, in some cases, paying all of their staff (shout-out to you, The Ripped Bodice in Culver City), but by Zeus’ curly beard, WE WANT OUR BOOKSTORE BROWSING BACK. – The Washington Post
