"What is a Curated Bookstore?" Linda Kass, owner of Gramercy Books, a "carefully curated neighborhood bookstore" in Bexley, Ohio, addressed that question with book club members and staff recently, then shared her findings on the store's blog.
One of her customers likened the role to that of a museum curator, "so that with which I am unfamiliar becomes more understandable to me.... I would hope to rely on the knowledge of the staff as to the store’s inventory, as well as the particulars of some authors. I like the feeling of walking into a space that's curated because I anticipate learning something. There’s a human exchange of thought."
Gramercy Books general manager John Gaylord, store manager Debra Boggs and Kass agreed "that it is about selection--careful selection, personal selection. We like the book. We believe our customers will like it. We believe that it is important. We might believe that it will positively impact the community.
"A bookseller can't read every book, so curation becomes intuitive: the owners and manager stock books they think customers will enjoy. We curate alongside a rich offering of bestsellers and recent releases. We curate within the broad range of books we carry... As Ruth suggested, we include those books we might want in our personal library. And we hand sell those books that we've read and that have touched us. Eventually our customers rely on, and trust, our recommendations. As we like to say at Gramercy Books: Come here if you're seeking. We'll help you find it."