To Download a PDF of an Interview with Mitchell

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

To Download a PDF of an Interview with Mitchell Resilience “The Great Good Place” An Interview with Mitchell Kaplan, Founder, Books & Books EDITORS’ NOTE Mitchell Kaplan, admired, those from the past and those I try my hardest to not be a controlling a Miami Beach native, founded stores I continued to visit when I was leader and that was initially hard. I started my Books & Books in 1982. Located in younger. Stores like Shakespeare and business from scratch and for a long time I was Coral Gables, Florida, Books & Books Company in Paris, where James Joyce its only employee. As the years have rolled on, expanded to its present location in and the Lost Generation found a home, I believe that my biggest leap forward is my 2000. Housed in a Mediterranean- The Gotham Book Mart in New York ability to delegate. With that comes the need styled building, the bookstore hosts City, where Borges was read to on each to allow others to make mistakes without com- over sixty events a month, consisting of his trips to the city when he devel- pletely dispiriting them. I love it when I feel I of author readings and signings, dem- oped blindness, and City Lights in San can teach those who work with me what I onstrations and workshops, live music, Francisco, home to the Beats and where know, and I love it even more when they do reading and discussion groups, pro- Allen Ginsberg fi rst read Howl, became what I do and do it better. It’s also extremely gramming for children and families, my north stars when I envisioned what I important that they develop a kind of passion and a variety of other community- Mitchell Kaplan wanted Books & Books to become. From and the satisfaction that brings. Bookselling isn’t based events. All of this is achieved in that Coral Gables store we now have fi ve the most lucrative fi eld, but it can be the most an old world setting of fl oor-to-ceiling wood book- more stores in South Florida and an affi liated part- satisfying and that’s what I want to foster in shelves, wood fl oors, and a courtyard café, man- nership with Judy Blume and her store in Key West. others. aged by James Beard-award winning Chef Allen The notion of the “great good place” What are the keys to independent Susser. In April 2005, Books & Books opened a loca- informs everything I do, and I think that attitude bookstores remaining relevant and cur- tion inside the Bal Harbour Shops Mall, specializing is what has led to our sustainability for almost rent with the disruption taking place in in high-end art and design books and continues forty years. People love to congregate outside the industry? the tradition of the Coral Gables and Miami Beach of their home and work; that has become excru- There has never been a more important bookstores with a full schedule of author events and ciatingly clear during this pandemic. A book- time to be an independent bookseller in an programs. I The Café/Bookstore Books & Books at store, my bookstore, is just such a place. We independent bookstore. Like much of what’s the Adrienne Arsht Center opened in 2015, and have cafes, we present authors and we make happening in retail, much is broken in the in 2016 Books & Books partnered with the Studios our space available to groups of all kinds. All world of publishing. What’s not broken is the of Key West and opened a store under the guid- of this helps build community and community ability to publish important, relevant and vital ance of Judy Blume and her husband, George. makes us all stronger and able to face whatever books that are so important as the world is in Books & Books is also conveniently located at challenges we must. the process of remaking itself. Distribution is the Miami’s International Airport. In the spring of How do you describe your leadership main problem facing our industry. How does 2017, Books & Books opened another community- style and what do you see as the keys to an author’s book fi nd its readership? With so centered bookstore in Pinecrest, a city in Miami-Dade effective leadership? many books published, guides – responsible and County, at the Suniland Shops. A new loca- tion opened recently in Coconut Grove on Main Highway. Books & Books was named Bookstore of the Year in 2015 by Publishers’ Weekly. Kaplan is a co-founder of Miami Book Fair and serves as the Chairperson of its Board of Advisors. He is the former President of the American Booksellers “Like much of what’s happening in retail, much Association (ABA) and also served on the Board of ABFFE, the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression. In 2011, Kaplan received is broken in the world of publishing. What’s the National Book Foundation’s prestigious “Literarian Award for Outstanding Service to the not broken is the ability to publish important, American Literary Community.” Will you provide an overview of Books relevant and vital books that are so important as & Books and what have been the keys to its success? I founded Books & Books in 1982. I gradu- the world is in the process of remaking itself.” ated college with a BA in English and after a brief stint in law school and teaching high school for three years, I found a small store in Coral Gables, Florida, that I was able to convert to a bookstore. My inspiration came from all the bookstores I 112 LEADERS POSTED WITH PERMISSION. COPYRIGHT © 2020 LEADERS MAGAZINE, LLC VOLUME 43, NUMBER 4 Resilience “The notion of the ‘great good place’ informs everything I do, and I think that attitude is what has led to our sustainability for almost forty years. People love to congregate outside of their home and work; that has become excruciatingly clear during this pandemic. A bookstore, my bookstore, is just such a place.” trusted guides – are necessary to get the word and I’m working on ways to open up bookselling to As a business leader, how are you able out about what’s new and what’s important. neglected parts of South Florida and to put books in to build a resilient culture within your This happens best through an independent the hands of young people who still don’t have the organization? bookstore and, even more important, through a means to develop libraries of their own. Listening to every stakeholder in my company vibrant, diverse and economically healthy inde- How do you defi ne resilience and what is the most important thing I can do to build resil- pendent channel. When the means of distribu- are the key characteristics of a resilient iency, while at the same time be as transparent as tion is centralized, as it is through Amazon, we company? possible about every aspect of the bookstore’s busi- run the risk of having one of the more fun- Resilience is baked into everything a ness. Its successes, failures and challenges allow damental means of getting ideas and impor- bookstore owner does. I opened during an everyone to buy into the stores’ ability to fi nd solu- tant voices under the control of very few. The economic downturn in the early 80’s, I had tions to problems and to have everyone feel empow- healthiest way to keep our ongoing discussions to overcome the rise of the “super store” phe- ered to make changes. When employees understand alive and to fi nd the voices of emerging think- nomenon, the discounters put thousands of just what Books & Books is about and have a clear ers and literary artists is to ensure that there stores out of business, and then the internet sense of our culture, I give them latitude even when are thousands and thousands of guides offering and internet shopping behemoths like Amazon they make mistakes. A sense of pride in what we do what publishers and writers have to contribute continued the slaughter. Resilience is the abil- must give members of the Books & Books team the to our national discourse. ity to be tough and to fi nd ways to overcome same kind of satisfaction it gives me. How has Books & Books adapted its obstacles and the only way I could rouse the Do you feel that resilience is something business to address the challenges from the spirit to fi ght these good fi ghts was because of a person is born with or can it be taught? pandemic? the passion I have to be a bookstore owner. I This is the hardest question of all. The Almost overnight, Books & Books has would not allow myself to be defeated. That nature versus nurture question has never been moved into the virtual world. We’ve always had has meant that I had to be wily, constantly adequately answered as far as I know. There a website and encouraged some online order- environmentally scanning, knowing what inno- are those who have a can-do attitude in the ing, but our site was mostly informational. As vations were out there in retail and in the book face of any challenge and there are those who we had to lockdown and were closed for many business, but also knowing who my allies are shy away from any diffi cult situation. I guess I weeks, we made sure to let our community of and having a very clear vision of what Books believe that unless someone is so pessimis- customers know how important it is to sup- & Books is and to stay the course even in the tic and set in their ways, good patterning by a port us if we’re still to be a force for good in face of such adversity.
Recommended publications
  • Iguana at a Glance Downtown Frederick's Independent Bookstore
    Downtown Frederick’s independent bookstore ocated in the heart of historic downtown Frederick, Maryland, Curious Iguana attracts customers from local and surrounding areas, Iguana at a Glance L including West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, as well as Washington, DC, and Baltimore, Maryland, both within a 50-mile radius. • NYT and ABA reporting bookstore In addition to being a bookstore and community gathering space, the Iguana is a benefit corporation and donates a percentage of monthly sales • Store size: 1000 square feet to international nonprofits. A globally diverse collection reflects the Iguana’s • Store capacity: 25 seated, mission of ‘Get to Know Your World.’ 65+ standing Since opening in September 2013, Curious Iguana has quickly become • 50 miles from Washington a popular literary hub for locals and tourists alike. We offer a thoughtfully DC and Baltimore MD curated collection of new books for all ages in a cozy, eclectic, and friendly • Diverse downtown with local environment. Our busy events calendar includes: and regional appeal • Author talks and signings • ‘Love Our Locals’ author events • Prime location in vibrant arts, shopping, and dining district • Dinner/happy hour with author • ‘Get to Know Your World’ forums events • Strong community • Indies First and Independent connections • Monthly book clubs for all ages Bookstore Day celebrations • Benefit corporation • Poetry readings • Member of ABA and NAIBA 12 North Market Street Frederick, MD 21701 301.695.2500 • [email protected] In addition to our in-store events, we frequently partner with area organizations at off-site events. We serve as the official bookseller for: • C. Burr Artz Poetry Series: Natasha Trethewey (2014), Kay Ryan (2015) • Frederick Reads 2015: Ann Patchett • Frederick Speaker Series 2015: Jane Fonda, Dave Barry, General Stanley McChrystal, Dr.
    [Show full text]
  • Chicago's Independent Bookstores Need Our Support Now!
    Search this blog ... GO Dear Chicago Bookstores ... About Subscribe by Email Archive Save 70% on QuickBooks® Save time & maximize tax deductions with the #1 Chicago's independent accounting software for small businesses. bookstores need our support QuickBooks® Online Sign Up now! Here's how ... Leave a comment Tweet Save Like 27 Share By Teme Ring, Monday at 4:20 pm Chicago bookstores are open, but not in the usual way! We can't walk through their doors, unfortunately. But we can order new books, rare books, old books and great books. Sign up for each store's newsletter! Some stores offer online events, virtual book clubs, chats with booksellers and personal recommendations. Almost all are offering fast delivery to your door and even blind dates with puzzles and other unique merch! If we act fast, we may get some famous authors re-enacting the dance scene from The Welcome to Breakfast Club. More on that below. Following are ways to support our ChicagoNow. city's bookstores. They make up the most vibrant literary paradise in the Meet our bloggers, world. Please read on, order, and support to ensure that each of these post comments, or enchanted places can usher us back through their welcoming doors when pitch your blog idea. these crazy sci-fi times are over. If I missed anything or you have a Chicagoland bookstore to add, please Sign in Pitch your idea Play games email me at [email protected] and I promise to update immediately! You May Like Sponsored Links by Taboola ADVERTISING These SUVs Are So Cool It's Hard to Believe They Cost Under $30K! Research Best Crossover SUV 2020 SUV Don’t Ignore Your Dog’s Dental Hygiene, Try If You Like to Play, this City-Building Game is a This Simple Tip Must-Have.
    [Show full text]
  • Publishersweekly.Com - Bookstore Marks First Year As Publisher
    PublishersWeekly.com - Bookstore Marks First Year as Publisher Bookstore Marks First Year as Publisher Advanced search» by Jim Milliot -- 5/16/2005 Article Advanced search » It may not be on the same scale as Barnes & Noble's publishing efforts, but -Select- % Bookends' experience as a print-on-demand publisher has been an unqualified success, said Walter Boyer, co-owner of the Ridgewood, N.J., independent bookstore. Bookends installed an InstaBook machine one year -Select Book Type- % ago, instantly creating a publishing enterprise dubbed Books by Bookends. The operation has grown to such an extent that Boyer has added 500 square feet of space to the store to house the machine, and recently hired a full-time manager to direct the Books by Bookends initiative. -Select Topic- % Boyer estimated that the store has printed books for about 200 authors and printed more than 7,000 copies. Family histories have been the most popular subject area, but BbB has printed books in categories ranging from memoirs to Hungarian-language titles. Boyer's steadiest business has come from a local motivational speaker and a historian who, he estimates, have used BbB to print between 300 and 400 copies each. But business has not been limited to the greater Ridgewood area. "We've had people come from as far away as Oklahoma," said Boyer. Boyer has rejected "only a couple of books" for publication because of what he considered inappropriate material. "The books we publish reflect on our business," he said. Boyer has also learned to make sure authors check the Have a question? final editions of the books themselves.
    [Show full text]
  • 2021 Independent Bookstore Day Catalog of Exclusives
    2021 Independent Bookstore Day Catalog of Exclusives Independent Bookstore Day is online and in-store Saturday, April 24, 2021 Order deadline is Friday, February 5, 2021 (we cannot accept late orders!) Table of Contents New Guidelines (Please Read Carefully!) Pg. 3 Our Sponsors Pg. 4 ADULT TITLES Exclusive Signed Edition of Sharks in the Time of Saviors Pg. 5 “Little Victories” Pouch Pg. 6 Exclusive Signed Edition of Hummingbird Salamander Pg. 7 Exclusive Signed Edition of Cook, Eat, Repeat Pg. 8 “Bad Citizen” Graffiti Stencil Pg. 9 Embodied: An Intersectional Feminist Comics Poetry Anthology Pg. 10 IBD Exclusive Edition of In the Tall Grass Pg. 11 $7 Story: Being Alive is a Good Idea Pg. 12 Independent Bookstores of the U.S. Map Pg. 13 Exclusive Independent Bookstore Day Blackwing Pencils Pg. 14 TITLES FOR CHILDREN & YOUNG PEOPLE The ABCs of Black History Print Pg. 16 Baby Yoda Onesie Pg. 17 FREE STUFF I Can Read! Comics / Macmillan’s Best Parties in Literature Pg. 18 Broken, An Oracle Card Deck by Jenny Lawson Pg. 19 Outside, Inside Independent Bookstore Day Lawn Signs Pg. 20 “I Visited An Independent Bookstore Today” Stickers Pg. 21 The Black Friend IBD Bumper Stickers Pg. 22 Milo Imagines the World Event Kit Pg. 23 Special Terms & Promotions Pg. 24 Free IBD Bookmarks Pg. 25 2021 IBD Totes & Shirts Pg. 26 NEW GUIDELINES FOR 2021 PLEASE READ CAREFULLY 1. All current dues-paying members of the ABA and a local regional independent booksellers association are eligible to participate in IBD. Membership in both is required because IBD is supported financially by ABA and the 8 regional bookseller associations.
    [Show full text]
  • Building a Literary Culture: How Indie Publishers Can Establish Stability by Operating Community Hubs
    Portland State University PDXScholar Book Publishing Final Research Paper English 5-15-2018 Building a Literary Culture: How Indie Publishers Can Establish Stability by Operating Community Hubs Lisa Hein Portland State University Follow this and additional works at: https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/eng_bookpubpaper Part of the Mass Communication Commons, and the Publishing Commons Let us know how access to this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation Hein, Lisa, "Building a Literary Culture: How Indie Publishers Can Establish Stability by Operating Community Hubs" (2018). Book Publishing Final Research Paper. 33. https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/eng_bookpubpaper/33 This Paper is brought to you for free and open access. It has been accepted for inclusion in Book Publishing Final Research Paper by an authorized administrator of PDXScholar. Please contact us if we can make this document more accessible: [email protected]. Building a Literary Culture: How Indie Publishers Can Establish Stability by Operating Community Hubs Lisa Hein | May 15, 2018 Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Writing: Book Publishing. Research question: What’s causing the recent rise in publisher-operated brick and mortar bookstores? Are there significant advantages that arise from concentrating on in-person connections rather than more convenient engagement methods such as digital marketing? How are some indie book publishers using high-fidelity, physical experiences to promote their brands and foster a literary culture in their communities? When considering the production cycle of a trade book, the role of a traditional publisher is to act as an intermediary, to acquire a book from an author or an agent and then usher it along a path that leads to another entity, usually a distributor, that funnels the book to a retailer.
    [Show full text]
  • Sara Gruen on ABA's Winter Institute Rainy Day's Call to Action Draws A
    October 12, 2006 TABLE OF CONTENTS: But there was one event in particular that really helped launch Water for Elephants : ABA's Winter Institute in Long Beach, California. The value of • Sara Gruen on ABA's Winter Institute .............. 1 connecting with so many of you in such an intimate setting was an experience • Rainy Day's Call to Action Draws a Reaction I won't soon forget. And from what I've seen and heard in my travels, and from what I have heard from Craig [Popelars, marketing director] at .......................................................................... 1 Algonquin, the booksellers in Long Beach felt the same way. • Rise Up: Michael Shuman on Launching a Small-Mart Revolution ...................................... 2 ABA is holding its second annual Winter Institute 2 -- this time in Portland, Oregon, February 1 and 2 -- and I just wanted to take a moment to encourage • Keys to Mystery Lovers' Success Easy to you to attend. Not only will you be treated to a stellar program of education, Deduce: Specialization & Innovation ................ 4 and not only will you have the chance to network with one another, but you will once again have a wonderful opportunity to meet and greet authors and to • Awards Round-Up: Nobel Prize, Quills, Man talk about books. Booker Winners, NBA Finalists ........................ 4 • An Open Book: Diary of a Soon-to-Be To find out more about the Winter Institute, visit ABA's website 3 . Independent Bookseller .................................... 6 • ABACUS Reports, Rebates to Begin Arriving Warm Regards, Soon ................................................................. 6 Sara Gruen • Pirates and Tigers and Books, Oh My .............. 7 ABA Education Director Len Vlahos told BTW , "We're honored • A More Intimate NCIBA Show Garners that Sara would take time out of her busy schedule to extend this Positive Feedback ...........................................
    [Show full text]
  • Bookstores a Celebration of Independent Booksellers
    HORST A. FRIEDRICHS STUART HUSBAND Bookstores A Celebration of Independent Booksellers WITH A FOREWORD BY NORA KRUG PRESTEL MUNICH LONDON NEW YORK Contents FOREWORD COLOGNE P. 4 Paper Towns Buchhandlung Walther König P. 158 NEW YORK CITY DÜSSELDORF P. 12 The Strand Booxycle P. 166 Spoonbill & Sugartown P. 22 HEIDELBERG Dashwood Books P. 26 artes liberales P. 168 Rizzoli P. 32 HAMBURG Books Are Magic P. 36 Felix Jud P. 172 SAN FRANCISCO stories! P. 176 City Lights Bookstore P. 40 BERLIN Green Apple Books P. 48 P. 180 William Stout Books P. 54 Bücherbogen Pro qm P. 186 Dog Eared Books P. 58 do you read me?! P. 192 PENNSYLVANIA Bildband P. 196 Baldwin’s Book Barn P. 64 MUNICH LONDON soda P. 202 Maggs Bros. P. 70 Literatur Moths P. 206 Heywood Hill P. 76 VIENNA John Sandoe Books P. 84 P. 210 Hurlingham Books P. 88 phil Hartliebs Bücher P. 214 Gay’s The Word P. 92 P. 218 Daunt Books P. 96 AnzenbergerGallery Anna Jeller Buchhandlung P. 222 Persephone Books P. 102 P. 226 Tate Modern Shop P. 106 Buchhandlung Bernhard Riedl Métamorphose P. 230 London Review Bookshop P. 112 Lutyens & Rubinstein P. 116 LISBON Word On The Water P. 120 Livraria Ferin P. 232 AMSTERDAM Almedina Rato P. 238 MENDO P. 126 PORTO MAASTRICHT Livraria Lello P. 244 Livraria Académica P. 248 Boekhandel Dominicanen P. 132 PARIS Bouquinistes P. 138 Librairie Auguste Blaizot P. 144 Shakespeare and Company P. 150 Paper Towns NORA KRUG Imagine the sense of excitement a traveller must have felt some 450 years ago when entering Christophe Plantin’s print shop in Antwerp, viewing the books he had on offer.
    [Show full text]
  • I Feel More Connected. That's Why We Work for Less, We Like the People
    Claremont Colleges Scholarship @ Claremont Scripps Senior Theses Scripps Student Scholarship 2019 “I feel more connected. That’s why we work for less, we like the people and the books.” : Bookselling and Community in The Greater Seattle Area Sarah Horder Recommended Citation Horder, Sarah, "“I feel more connected. That’s why we work for less, we like the people and the books.” : Bookselling and Community in The Greater Seattle Area" (2019). Scripps Senior Theses. 1348. https://scholarship.claremont.edu/scripps_theses/1348 This Open Access Senior Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Scripps Student Scholarship at Scholarship @ Claremont. It has been accepted for inclusion in Scripps Senior Theses by an authorized administrator of Scholarship @ Claremont. For more information, please contact [email protected]. “I FEEL MORE CONNECTED. THAT’S WHY WE WORK FOR LESS, WE LIKE THE PEOPLE AND THE BOOKS.” : BOOKSELLING AND COMMUNITY IN THE GREATER SEATTLE AREA By SARAH MORLEY HORDER SUBMITTED TO SCRIPPS COLLEGE IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF ARTS SEO YOUNG PARK, SCRIPPS COLLEGE GEORGIA HARTMAN, PITZER COLLEGE APRIL 26, 2019 1 Table of Contents Acknowledgements 2 Introduction 3 Background 4 Methods 7 Positionality 11 Guiding Theory 13 Arguments 15 Chapter 1: Social Spaces and Community within Bookstores 17 A brief Genealogy of Modern Day Bookstores 17 Locating Community 26 Tensions of Community and Exclusion 36 Chapter 2: Political Mediation of Space & Knowledge within Bookstores 39 Contextualizing
    [Show full text]
  • Naibahood News October 15, 2020
    NAIBAhood News October 15, 2020 The American Booksellers Association launched the #BoxedOut campaign, which is designed to market indie bookstores and speak to the critical choice between shopping indie and shopping Amazon. #BoxedOut launched with six indie bookstore installations and a national social media campaign that all ABA member booksellers are invited to join. The bookstore installations feature cardboard coverings overtaking each storefront. Piles of cardboard boxes spill out of these now-cardboard buildings, quipping, “If you want Amazon to be the world’s only retailer, keep shopping there.” Cardboard books further bring the campaign message to life: “To Kill a Locally Owned Bookstore.” ​Look At The Publishers! New Voices New Rooms lives on with the exhibit hall and recordings. 95 publishers and gift vendors were at New Voices New Rooms. All have show specials and We are posting the recordings from the edelweisscollections available to you. Visit them conference to the New Voices New now, visit them often. The exhibit hall will not close Rooms on demand. Bookmark that site until the new year. and you'll start to see new videos in the coming weeks of our education programs. Want to relive New Voices New Rooms? All the Edelweiss catalogs from pick of Here are some fresh videos from the conference. the lists, editors buzz and publisher Helen MacDonald on Vesper Flights websites can be found here. 4th Quarter Strategies Event Management: Successful Virtual Events Sharing about the conference on social media? Use #newvoicesnewrooms2020 NAIBA Notes Use This Idea! shared by our NAIBor Oblong Books: Holiday Update 2020 - Shop Early, Shop Local! To Our Customers: Retailers are anticipating serious supply-chain challenges this Fall, and we are no exception.
    [Show full text]
  • Bookstore Review Committee Summary of Findings
    Brown University Bookstore Review Committee Summary of Findings March 2006 Committee Roster Beppie Huidekoper, Chair Elliott Gorn Executive VP for Finance Professor of History and Administration Shriram Krishnamurthi David Ain ’04 Assistant Professor Medical Student of Computer Science Paul Armstrong Walter Hunter Dean of the College VP for Administration Brian Casey Brendan McNally, Staff Assistant Provost Special Assistant to EVP (departed Brown 12/05) for Planning Michael Chapman Kenneth Miller VP for Public Affairs and Professor of Biology University Relations Anya Rasulova ’08 Stephen M. Foley Undergraduate Associate Professor Zachary Townsend ’08 of English Undergraduate John Funchion Ellen Waite-Franzen Graduate student in English VP for Computing and Information Services Bookstore Summary of Findings / 1 SUMMARY OF FINDINGS Executive Summary At the request of the Cabinet, a Bookstore Review Committee was formed in early 2005 to explore opportunities to improve the Brown Bookstore. It had been more than 10 years since the store was last refurbished, and it was felt that the store and the Brown community could benefit from a thorough study of its operations, layout, merchandising, and services. Further, over the last decade changes in the buying and selling of textbooks, trade books, and com- puter systems – including online vendors and integrated operating systems – have signifi- cantly affected how university bookstores operate. Composed of faculty, students, and staff, the committee has spent the past eleven months studying the Brown Bookstore’s current operations, industry practices, and options for man- aging the store. Input has been received from students, faculty, and staff through e-mails, interviews, and committee interactions with the Brown community.
    [Show full text]
  • HOW to a HAVE a PRODUCTIVE INDEPENDENT BOOKSTORE VISIT by a Former Independent Bookseller & Mountaineers Books Staff Member
    HOW TO A HAVE A PRODUCTIVE INDEPENDENT BOOKSTORE VISIT By a former independent bookseller & Mountaineers Books staff member Independent bookstores are unique hubs for community, ideas, and information. The readers who work there (because bookstore staff are all first and foremost readers) provide an exceptional and personal level of service in their work as booksellers. They often labor long hours into the evening and on weekends. When you stop by an independent bookstore, if there is not a long line forming at the checkout counter or info desk, stop by to introduce yourself and meet a bookseller. Why? Because booksellers want to connect with authors. They are curious about the people behind the books that they read and sell, and they are in a position to recommend your book to customers. Read on for advice on how to have a productive bookstore visit. First, know that booksellers enjoy meeting authors. Don’t be shy about initiating an introduction. We all enjoy a friendly person who we have something in common with. And authors and books are the central interest of 99% of booksellers (though everyone can have an off day). Your introduction can comfortably lead with the fact that you’re a Mountaineers Books author and the reason why you’ve stopped by this particular bookstore. Do you love their book selection? Is it in your neighborhood or are you traveling? Are you shopping for a gift for a family member? Does your mom want a selfie of you with your book in a bookstore? All of these are valid reasons.
    [Show full text]
  • Literary Lounge Room Brings Soul to the City on the Awning Over the Gotham Book Mart on New York’S West 47Th Street Is a Sign That Says “Wise Men Fish Here”
    FREE Issue One Tea in the Library Music at Tea in the Library Himalayan Children’s supports the Smith Family – live jazz or classics Thursday Foundation “Learning for Life” evenings and Sunday afternoons benefits from Tea in the Library. through November and December. Literary lounge room brings soul to the city On the awning over The Gotham Book Mart on New York’s West 47th Street is a sign that says “Wise men fish here”. Plagiarism is not in the It was important to Annette to find a niche best traditions of not currently filled by other booksellers, publishing, so you’ll and to create an ambiance and approach not find the same to the retail experience that is unique. She motto at Tea In The has certainly achieved that with her Library. But Sydney’s “literary lounge room” atmosphere newest Bookstore/Cafe embraces the reminiscent of a New York literary concept of those celebrated New York discussion club, a private club in Boston literary haunts where ideas are wealth and or Washington, or even an English talent is currency. country house library. Tea In The Library is not so much about Despite the fact that contemporary sales targets as it is about making a novelists have been mysteriously silent significant contribution to Sydney’s on the subject of gingered ricotta with intellectual landscape. It is the vision of honey and pinenuts, Tea In The Library Annette Freeman, BA/LLB (ANU), takes its food as seriously as its fiction. LLM (UTS), an intellectual property The discreet cafe kitchen offers creative lawyer whose original arts degree was fresh dishes, juices and excellent teas and taken with a major in English Literature.
    [Show full text]