Any bibliophile understands that the importance of independent bookstores goes beyond just the simple act of book-buying. From a literary perspective, bookstores champion diverse voices and support local authors, allowing them a place to sell their books, which can often be difficult to achieve at brick-and-mortar chains such as Barnes & Noble.
From poetry open mics to midnight release parties to speed dating, book clubs, and author events (oh my!), indie booksellers are eager to offer curated recommendations based on a prospective reader’s interests. This type of personalized and unique experience provides a reader the opportunity to discover authors and stories they may not have sought out on their own and cannot be found via an online platform.
“I’ve been known to email a specific customer about a book that is forthcoming that I know they would love. And they get it!” said Rebecca George, owner of Volumes Bookcafe in Wicker Park, a neighborhood in Chicago.
Indie bookstores also offer a sense of community, a safe place to bring children to for story time, to grab a cup of coffee, to chat with like-minded patrons, and, in a post-pandemic age, allow those to work remotely.
Barnes & Noble Locations: A Threat?
Back in 2015, Amazon made the announcement that it would open a physical store in Seattle. In the years to follow, additional stores popped up across the country. By March 2017, an Amazon store could be seen tucked away in Chicago’s Southport Corridor, but five years later, all 68 stores soon shuttered, opting to focus more on the grocery store market. With one competitor now gone and sales skyrocketing in the pandemic due to an uptick in reading during bouts of quarantine, it seemed like business as usual.
But in early February 2024, Barnes & Noble announced the placement of several new stores, including several near Chicago. In particular, one would be placed among several successful indie bookstores, including Volumes BookCafe, around for eight years, and Myopic Books, which has roots as far back as 30 years ago.
As former chair of the IBPA Advocacy Committee and a strong advocate for supporting indie bookstores, after the news went wide, I reached out to Barnes & Noble CEO James Daunt and expressed my concern with the future location of the Wicker Park store. His swift response was quite disappointing and included:
“A general bookstore selling new books … fulfills a very different role to other forms of bookstore. A general bookstore, whether independent or Barnes & Noble, allows access to newly published books and is essentially democratic and inclusive—that is, everyone, of every age, feels welcome in the store. Teenagers after school come to a new bookstore to pass the time, so everyone else of whatever age or educational attainment. We are not as important in this respect as public libraries, but we are important. Other forms of bookstore, from specialists to those selling used books, are much more exclusive. They are exclusive in what they sell and exclusive in their narrow appeal. No gang of teenagers piles out of school to go hang out at the local used bookstore.”
When I mentioned that placing this store in an area already vibrant with bookstores, he responded with: “Volumes Bookcafe is a café with a very small selection of books; Myopic Books is a used books bookstore; Quimby’s, to quote themselves, specializes ‘in the importation, distribution, and sale of unusual publications, aberrant periodicals, saucy comic booklets and assorted fancies’; Open Books is brilliant but doing something completely different aimed at kids and donations. In short, I defend entirely our opening in Wicker Park, whilst also maintaining my commitment to never open a bookstore which threatens the sales, let alone the livelihood, of an independent bookseller of new books.”
His response arrived just prior to the American Bookseller’s Association’s (ABA) annual conference, where the shared email fired up attendees and led to large scale online support for Volumes and other indie bookstores by authors, booksellers, publishers, and community members. His explanation was further explored after a Chicago bookseller called him out for his mistake, but he doubled down on Volumes not being a “general bookstore.”
According to George, Volumes has a strong role in the Wicker Park community.
“We are not just an indie bookstore; we are MORE than that. We are a community hub,” George explained. “They are friends. They are our family of sorts. We have deep connections with people and the books that speak to them.”
She further shared her thoughts on the matter on the company’s website: volumesbooks.com/thoughts-bn.
Publisher Support Requires Communication
Readers and community members already know how to support these literary gems. As the publishing industry continues to see organizations and stores close, consolidate, or struggle financially, the bigger question at the forefront of many minds is: How can independent publishers directly support independent bookstores and ultimately help them thrive?
According to Andy Hunter, CEO of Bookshop.org, in an article on PubSpot in 2021, “Publishers, especially indie publishers, must redouble efforts to support independent bookstores at this critical moment.”
Hunter explained that while Bookshop.org might be one solution, publishers need to focus their efforts on forming direct relationships with booksellers and asking them how they can best support them.
George also said sometimes publishers don’t realize they have missed the opportunity to connect with their local stores.
“Please send us more ARCS or stop by every now and again. There was a book recently that was not on my radar, and I wish it had been. I would have ordered a carton’s worth. I also think collaborating on events that don’t necessarily focus on a new book would be great. I would love some more reading series that we can share as stores or can really foster in one space,” she explained.
According to Ashley Mireles-Guerrero, director of marketing and sales at Familius, they encourage their local publishers to reach out to their local indies, highlighting that open lines of communication are key.
“Make sure they know that you’re there. Often times they are working with your distributor’s sales rep but may not know that you are local and nearby. Don’t assume that because they see your books in Ingram, they know you are local. Familius sponsored a shelf of local books in the past. We’ve also done teaching events for aspiring authors,” she said.
Mireles-Guerrero explained her venture as new bookstore owner and founder of Judging by the Cover: A Bookstore. “We cannot keep our local author/local publisher selections in stock, and we’ve even created Bookshop.org lists of local favorites to combat this. Anything local publishers can give us as exclusives for our customers is appreciated, but just hearing from them regularly is a great start! Something as simple as bookmarks or information for shelf talkers also make a big difference,” she explained.
An Explosion of New Indie Bookstores
It’s no surprise that it takes quite a lot to run an indie bookstore. With rising costs, the pandemic impact, and the repercussions of Amazon, it can sometimes be quite a struggle for some indie bookstores to stay afloat. “Barnes & Noble and Amazon both make demands of publishers that affect their bottom line, and eventually ours,” George said.
“We are already in a nickel-and-penny business that is difficult to survive from day to day. The product and money exchange needs to change to help the indie bookseller, not hinder us more so that the big guys can get ahead. They need to find ways to support us the way we support them.”
Mireles-Guerrero added, “If they can tell their customers that the book was published by a local publisher, that’s a selling point they can use in handselling a title in store. If they can do a display of books or promote an event by a local publisher those are advantages that B&N doesn’t have.”
Despite all these challenges, the ABA reported in May 2024 that membership has more than 200 more members than 2023, doubling their membership since 2016, and expect nearly 200 more indie bookstores to open by 2026. When it comes down to it, indies offer an aspect that other big box stores can’t provide.
“Who doesn’t love a book concierge anticipating your wants—and one that isn't formulated by an algorithm. I remember what people read. I follow up with them about it and have great conversations. That is what indie bookstores are all about: connection in a world that often feels so isolating,” George said.
For additional information on indie bookstore growth, visit tinyurl.com/indie-bookseller-expansion.
How to Support Indie Bookstores
- Foster relationships with local booksellers.
- Become an affiliate.
- Link to Bookshop.org.
- Link to Indiebound.org.
- Host author events at local indie bookstores and link to their website.
- Become an associate member of the American Booksellers Association.
Kathryn Sparks is a senior editor at the American Academy of Pediatrics. She is also a member of the IBPA Board of Directors, Executive Committee, and co-chair of the Membership Committee.