Independent bookstores, redux
So, since the other post is lost in the mists of weird blog problems, I will reiterate my complaint about the independent bookstores that are here. As you might notice if you look at the back of a book, in Canada, books cost at least 25% more than in the US. And books are expensive, especially if they’re not rereads, because half the time you can only get the 20$ trade paperbacks. I understand the problems with big box stores, but they have really easy online ordering, and they’re way cheaper.
This means that, if you want me to go to an independent bookstore, there needs to be value added. And just “eclecticker selection of books” is not value enough (big box stores have a lot of books). What I want is someone who reads a lot, and has some kind of good advice to give about books. I want to be acknowledged when I go in the store, too, as opposed to ignored until I have some cash to hand over.
I’ve had good experiences at a (now defunct) mystery bookseller in NH, and bad ones at a bookstore in a touristy area in Maine (well, since it was sold, anyhow). I understand that here, there’s a language issue, so we’re cutting the possible population in half, but really: there are a lot of people here, it’s odd that the only independent bookstores are filled with pretentiousier-than-thou types.
I am not really a big book-buyer. I can’t afford to buy that many books. But I do try to shop at places that make things worth it for me. Used bookstores: filled with charming eccentric people who talk or books that cost a few dollars (or both). Big box bookstores: all the books I can imagine to browse at (and get in the library), and huge online inventories. Independent bookstores: all the cost, none of the charm. I am really not interested in ordering from an online bookseller that I don’t have some sort of relationship with.
I am sure I would love S’s bookstore, but it’s an 8 hour drive away. I want to know why all these wonderful independent bookstores are somewhere that is else.
April 16th, 2007 at 10:25 pm
Alas, I more or less agree with you on this one. There are a few independent bookstores that I will go out of my way to shop at, but in each case they offer me something that the friendly neighborhood Big Box Bookstore does not. (And, make no mistake, the closest Big Box Bookstore IS a lot friendlier than the closest independent.) As for ordering from an independent online, I have no objection to it, but it’s hard to make the case that it’s really worth it when doing so involves longer wait times, less availability AND more money.
I don’t think this issue is necessarily limited to bookstores, though. In general I try to patronize small, locally owned businesses over chains. But the people at a lot of these locally owned retail establishments are kind of jerks. If the prices aren’t better, and the service is rotten, then I feel like an idiot shopping there on principle alone.
April 16th, 2007 at 10:49 pm
So what do books cost in Canada? (Just curious for comparison with Australia, where it’s generally around $20–30 (US $17–$25) for a paperback, $50+ (US $42+) for hardcover, $100+ (US $84+) for textbooks.)
When Geekman used to live in London, I would fill my suitcase with books whenever I visited him: they were so nice and cheap!
April 16th, 2007 at 11:45 pm
How many independant bookstores do you actually hate? Are you actually hating on independant bookstores, or on two or three people?
April 17th, 2007 at 10:49 am
Phantom, I don’t have that problem so much with other kinds of locally owned businesses — or when I do, there’s always another option nearby. I am occasionally too lazy to do part of my shopping at the supermarket, another part at the fruit and veggie stands, and a third part at the meat areas, though.
Styley, it depends. Paperbacks run from 8 to 12$, trade paperbacks from 12-25, hardcover from 24- whatever. It seems like the Canadian dollar is worth a very small bit more than the Australian dollar right now.
But the thing is, they print the US dollar price right next to the Canadian dollar price, and all of us, we can do the conversions and see we’re always paying 10-20% more. (We do have the bonus of getting books at the earliest publishing date most of the time, either UK or US.)
Cougar, I do not dislike independent bookstores in theory. In practice, though, there aren’t any nearby I like, because they seem to offer a big box experience, but with fewer books, less convenient layout, and more snottiness. Plus the higher prices.
April 17th, 2007 at 1:23 pm
I agree with you here. I like supporting local businesses, but only when they provide comparable or better service and value. In practice, this amounts mostly to patronizing local produce markets and butcher shops (cheaper AND better selection and service). The other two central pillars of my life: coffee and books seem sadly seem to be best served by chains in my locale. Coffee shops I rue, but walking into the miles of books shelves offered in the big box bookstores is something of a religious experience not to be found elsewhere.
April 17th, 2007 at 1:51 pm
Oh, coffee does not have that problem here. I’m surprised it does where you are.
April 17th, 2007 at 1:59 pm
It’s the specific neighborhood in which I live. I’m not about to drive for twenty or thirty minutes and pay for parking just to hang out in a coffee shop for an hour. Thus, it’s Starbucks for me.
April 17th, 2007 at 2:04 pm
I only go places with free parking. Also, the closest to me are a family-run place with weird hours (good coffee, though), 2 ordinary Quebec-only chains, and another small place with reasonably good coffee and weird hours.
There is a 2nd Cup, but it’s up a hill, and full of annoying people. No nearby Starbucks.
April 20th, 2007 at 10:26 pm
As a person who is reliant upon public transport, and who often needs to run a bunch of errands at one time, the big bookstores are much much more convenient. I too want to support the indies, but there are none in my neighborhood, none near where i grocery shop, none near where I change trains, etc. I would have to make a special trip to get to one, and I can’t even search their inventory on-line, as I can with Borders.
Sometimes too I make the mistake, when I am at the Indies, of thinking they know and like books, and I might engage them in a conversation. Nope, never. My borders employees are much more likely to be bibliophiles.
I will say, however, that in hippy college town we had the best independent bookstores ever. They were super convenient to get to, the employees were highly overeducated people who wanted to sell books so they could write their plays or novels in their free time, and they had tons of amazing employee rec cards all over the store, held awesome bookgroups, brought in amazing authors, and were very interested in developing relationships with the customers. Plus, one was actually our college bookstore (seriously the best bookstore in the world) and all students got 10% off all books.
April 20th, 2007 at 10:32 pm
Oh and to the other hot syntactician - styley - no wonder borders is closing there! Those are obscene prices for books! In the US, paperbacks (not those little supermarket ones) are maybe $10-15, hardbacks are $20-25 (but usually they have discount stickers on them for up to 30% off - even when new), and texbooks are $70 and up.