| The news on the brick-and-mortar bookstore | | | | dramatically. In 2007, some 411,000 new titles |
| front seems to be mixed lately. Many bookstores | | | | were published, compared to 295,000 in 2006 and |
| are struggling, many are closing, while many also | | | | around 200,000 in 2005. Are we headed for a |
| are opening. Is the latter the triumph of hope | | | | half-million new titles in 2008? |
| over experience? Or just the result of some | | | | The Boston Globe reported about the challenges |
| entrepreneurial overconfidence? Or is this just a | | | | facing indie and chain bookstores in an article titled |
| reflection of the overall situation for small | | | | "Books and Mortar," noting that: |
| businesses (lots of startups and failures every | | | | The stores aren't the only ones with a stake in |
| year)? | | | | the outcome. Bookstores enliven streets and |
| According to statistics from the U.S. Census | | | | communities. They bring readers and authors |
| Bureau, bookstore sales have been increasing | | | | together. And shoppers can still discover the |
| since the dawn of 2008. In the first quarter, sales | | | | unexpected. |
| rose 5.1%. Unfortunately, that statistic does not | | | | The article highlights a few local indie stores that |
| get broken down between books and everything | | | | appear to be doing well by reinventing the way |
| else sold in bookstores (DVDs, CD, assorted gift | | | | they present books to customers and even how |
| items, etc.). Nor, for that matter, between chain | | | | they contact them. |
| stores and independent bookstores. | | | | Meanwhile, the Washington Post published "The |
| In January, the American Booksellers Association | | | | Changing Bookstore Battle" last month, noting: |
| (representing most independent bookstores in the | | | | In Washington, besides the big-box chains and the |
| U.S.) reported that 115 new independent | | | | large book retailers, shoppers have several |
| bookstores opened in 2007, the third year in a | | | | independent bookstore options, though not nearly |
| row that new stores exceeded 100. However, | | | | as many as a decade ago. |
| ABA apparently does not publish figures on how | | | | And what will happen to indie bookstores as |
| many indies closed during that same period. | | | | e-books and reader-friendly e-book readers |
| There really is no doubt that many indie | | | | proliferate? Will customers browse the |
| bookstores have closed, and even the big chain | | | | shelves...then buy and download their choices to |
| bookstores have been cutting back, closing | | | | their Amazon Kindle as they walk out of the |
| stores, and firing people. The "big box" stores | | | | store? |
| (Wal-Mart, Costco, et al) have been getting more | | | | Finally, what does all this mean to independent |
| and more of the bestseller sales...and at deep | | | | micro-publishers? Probably not very much, since |
| discounts. Online, Amazon has certainly had an | | | | indie bookstores have been even more difficult to |
| effect as it continues to increase its sales at a | | | | convince to carry our books than the big chains. |
| steady pace -- accounting for almost 20% of all | | | | You might think there'd be a synergy between |
| books sold. | | | | indie publishers and indie bookstores, but the |
| People still enjoy shopping in their neighborhood | | | | reverse seems to be true. Local indie stores will |
| bookstores, but the question remains unanswered | | | | usually stock regional books and local authors but, |
| as to whether they will continue to buy books | | | | otherwise, prefer known quantities (big names |
| there if they can get them far cheaper online or | | | | and bestsellers). |
| at Wal-Mart. | | | | It seems that the book industry's tectonic plates |
| What is happening is that fewer titles will be | | | | are, indeed, shifting. It's just very difficult to |
| carried in brick-and-mortar stores at the same | | | | determine exactly where they will end up. |
| time that publication of new titles increases | | | | |