Seven years after posting an article titled "25 Things I Learned From Opening A Bookstore," blogger and businesswoman J.L. Sathre has posted a companion piece titled "25 Things I'm Learning From Closing A Bookstore." Sathre opened her store in 2006 with optimism, enthusiasm, and the best of intentions. Sadly, the life of an independent bookstore is a difficult one at best these days.
Reading her article I was reminded of the King of the Hill episode "Full Metal Dust Jacket," which aired a full three years before Sathre opened her store. In it, Peggy takes over the lease of a small independent bookstore in Arlen. When she finds herself unable to make ends meet, she and Dale form a partnership whereby he sells guns under the table in her basement and cuts her in on the cash. It's the only money she ever makes from the store, which - as it turns out - has been hemorrhaging money for years. Arlen's only bookstore only stayed open because the former owner had a wealthy husband who basically footed the bills for her so that she could keep it open as a hobby.
Prescient, that. And that episode was written years before the Kindle came along. The Kindle debuted in November 2007, and has made significant inroads into the profits of indie bookstores.
There's no doubt that bookstores are struggling these days. Not just indie stores, but larger chains as well. (I recently found my old Borders card in the bottom of a drawer and thought, "Aw.") Operating a bookstore is a thankless job with long hours and very little pay. But it's an important job, too, especially the role of a used bookstore in a world where not everyone can afford a Kindle. Inevitable though it may be, it's always sad to hear of another store having to close its doors for good.
Image courtesy Flickr/randomduck
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