From the Everett Herald in Washington state. Also, the YouTube link below shows an excellent video version of the story:
Like many other independent bookstore owners, Burns was driven to extinction by a perfect storm of variables, the most damning of which come as no surprise: online book retailers and the harshest recession in recent history.
“People are still buying books, and they're still wanting new books,” she said. “But before when they might be buying five or six, now they're only buying one.”
via HeraldNet: After an 11-year struggle, Marysville bookseller can fight no more.
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4 Comments
The primary reason I started buying books from Amazon is because first, the indie book stores are few and far between (even in 1999) and second, they and B&N and Borders chain stores often don’t carry what I want to buy. Of in-print books 99% of the time Amazon sells them and they are in stock!
I am sick of driving up to 30 minutes in one direction only to find out Borders doesn’t have the book I want. I am talking popular books too like certain classic kid’s books that are in print.
I am sick of indie bookstores not catering to the homeschool market, ditto for B&N and Borders stores.
I buy a ton of books to homeschool my kids with and thank goodness for Amazon!
Also love that Amazon Prime membership gives me 2 day shipping free and no sales tax and usually, big discounts! How can you beat it?
Yesterday I supported a small business owned by a teacher to buy a board game for $40 (full retail) only to see it’s on Amazon for $28 that kills me to see. Oh well I supported a person I am grateful to have working with my kids.
I have to agree with the above post. If you’re not looking for what book is in the top 10 best selling lists, more chain bookstores are a waste of time. The few indie booksellers that have a brick and mortar store are, as pointed out, few and far between. But if I want a specific book to di with crochet, for example, generally Amazon has it. Plus I end up buying more from the indies on Amazon because it’s stuff I didn’t know existed or I just can’t find anywhere else.
But I do buy1 book when I’d really rather buy 3 0r 4. Times are tough…
Here is my formula for getting books, and I am sorry if it is hurting the brick and mortar stores, but here is how I do it.
I ask some of those who give me gifts for birthdays and Christmas to give me Amazon.com gift certificates. I use the certificates to buy books and other things (just bought a digital camera), after I read the books, many I resell on Amazon thus making the money go even farther.
Works well for me and I am never without anything to read.
I think as sad as this story seems to be, the real headline should read “World Evolves and Some Decide to Stay Behind”. This B&M store owner could have joined the movement and sold online in addition to minding the store.
I’ve been in B&M stores that are sterile, everything full price (plus some), and you can hear a pin drop as the owner stares you down every second you’re there.
I’ve also been in B&M stores where there are other things going on – the infamous coffee bars, groups meeting, kids meeting, activities, discounted books, and they sell online. Guess which one is alive and thriving and which one is about to have a sad story put up on You Tube about how they “just couldn’t hang on any longer”.
It’s evolution, IMO.