Books & Books, which may be the only bookstore in the country other than Borders with a store abroad, has "gotten used to distance buying and dealing with Customs," owner Mitchell Kaplan said during a conversation at BEA. "We would consider opening other stores outside the country."
With its main store in Coral Gables, Fla., two other locations nearby and an airport store landing soon, Books & Books opened in the Cayman Islands last December in a new urbanism project "in the heart of Grand Cayman," Kaplan said. The Camana Bay development aims to create "a city center," Kaplan said, and "enhances the entire island." The island has less than 50,000 permanent residents, but tourism draws many people--both divers and passengers on the many cruise ships that stop in the Caymans.
The Books & Books store, one of the first retailers in Camana Bay, "is a beautiful store, and there's nothing like it in the Cayman Islands," Kaplan continued. "It's like bringing water to the thirsty. At home, we're in an extremely mature, competitive market. On the Cayman Islands, people are thanking us."
The store is a joint venture, which Kaplan called "the best of both worlds. My partners do as much locally as possible, and we provide all the services. My partners get it, which is great."
Before opening the store, "I didn't know much about the Cayman Islands," Kaplan added. Many Cayman Islanders shop in Miami, and through a mutual friend, he was introduced to Jackie Doak of Dart Realty, the developer of Camana Bay, who asked him to become involved. "They understood the power of what a bookstore could do for a sense of community," Kaplan said.
In just a half year, Books & Books in the Cayman Islands has had many successful events, Kaplan said, including signings by Michael Ondtaaje and Patrick McGrath, for example. The store celebrated its opening with a variety of readings by local, Caribbean and U.S. authors. "Part of what we're doing is bringing the whole idea of author appearances there," Kaplan commented.
The store also had a book club mixer like the ones it hosts in Florida. The Cayman Islands version starred Lisa See and Carol Fitzgerald of the Book Report Network and drew more than 100 people. "There is no natural meeting place for people there," Kaplan commented. "We were able to bring down the concept of the community-based bookshop. It's something that translates abroad. In some countries, the independent brand of bookselling is pretty mature, but it does not exist everywhere. It's not even in the language in some parts of the world."--John Mutter