Indie Bookstores 'Are Reintroducing Themselves'

"I think that ultimately it's the changing landscape of retail, i.e., the allure of online shopping. It's definitely a pressing issue but it's also a challenge, and I believe indie bookstores, collectively and individually, are rising to this challenge in wonderful ways. I think a big part of this challenge is finding ways to communicate what we offer to those who prefer the 'convenience' of online shopping. We need to ensure that people know that shopping in our stores is an experience, and that we are more than just 'a place to buy books.' We offer expertise and carefully curated collections for sure, but we also offer community, creativity, and opportunities to connect and feel connected. And I think that there are many outstanding examples of how bookstores are not so much reinventing themselves as they are reintroducing themselves to the segments of society who haven't discovered the wonderful world of indie bookstores yet."

--Lisa Doucet, co-manager of Woozles children's bookstore, Halifax, Nova Scotia, in a q&a for BookNet Canada (Woozles is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year.)
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