The owners of two independent bookstores in Madison, Wis., Sandi Torkildson of a Room of One's Own and Joanne Berg of Mystery to Me, were profiled this week in Madison magazine, and both report that their businesses are thriving.
Torkildson, who has owned Room of One's Own since 1975, told the magazine: "We have never done better than now. A lot of independent bookstores are doing quite well."
Berg, meanwhile, who opened Mystery to Me in 2013, said: "This is our fifth year, and it is going very well. Every month and every year we beat our sales projections."
Berg said she believes Mystery to Me has thrived because of her focus on not only in-store author events but also "experienced, knowledgeable booksellers," who can give the type of personalized recommendations that an algorithm simply cannot. Torkildson agreed on the importance of quality booksellers, noting too that she has seen a marked increase in out-of-town shoppers in recent years.
She said: "For some people visiting the city for the first time, a real bookstore is something they have never seen before."