Jonathan Smith // Blog Writer
When I was about ten years of age, I constantly asked my parents to take me to the local Barnes & Noble. I’d wash the dishes and take out the trash to get an allowance, then spend all my earnings on books (though my parents had to chip in a little extra most of the time). I had an obsession with the Dragon Ball Z anime and the Percy Jackson series. Taking the trip down the busy highway and opening the door to the scent of newly printed books was the best part of my week—even if I was looking at the same items over and over again. Something about the jazz music, the café with the comfy chairs, and the easy-going environment whisked me away into an otherworldly realm, just as the stories managed to do. It didn’t feel like a business; it felt like a second home.
A lot has changed in the nine years since. I usually pay for my own books now and no longer rely on my parents to drive me to the store. E-books have taken the industry by storm. Borders, a big-box company, closed. Amazon is one of the top retailers. Barnes & Noble still remains, though in a weakened state. Independent bookstores have plummeted, then surged.
The latter statement is quite stunning for many reasons. When a consumer wants to purchase a book, they probably go online and click on the first link that pops up, which is normally Amazon or Barnes & Noble. Most probably think the independent bookstore downtown with the creaky floors and tight aisles won’t have what they are looking for, and therefore don’t give it a try. I have been guilty of this same pattern of thinking.
But there is something special about the independent bookstore. Most have owners who decided to open shop because they love to read and are passionate about literature. These owners and employees care about each and every customer because they rely on each and every customer to keep business afloat. The fact that they don’t have mega corporations backing them makes everything much more personal.
Independent bookstores have other perks including book clubs as well as Q&A’s with authors. They absolutely love spotlighting authors from the area, which fuels both the authors’ career and city pride. Some stores such as “Brilliant Books in Traverse City, Michigan even have a subscription system where customers write in with the books they enjoy reading and the staff goes through each individual note card to point readers in certain directions.
Big-box stores, on the other hand, offer their own enticing features. They have an unbridled array of books, spanning from every possible genre known to man and woman, and can easily mark down prices. Some even offer additional commodities including toys, DVDs, and CDs. Many have help-desk centers designed to get the reader to the book they are looking for.
Barnes & Noble stores may not offer the same customer experience that most independent bookstores have, but they do have more human interaction than Amazon. The fact that Amazon is one of the largest book retailers in the world proves that the digital age is more prevalent than ever. It’s an enigma that we have both Amazon and independent bookstores at the forefront of the industry.
Regardless of whether it is Barnes & Noble or an independent bookstore, the in-store experience, for me, is like no other. I would forward all my mail, package all my belongings, and go live in a bookstore if at all possible. It seems the most sensible thing to do.