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In a q&a on the town's blog, Kari Meutsch and Kristian Preylowski, co-owners of the Yankee Bookshop, Woodstock, Vt., shared "everything from how they met to how they found and fell in love with Woodstock, their most-anticipated-authors of Bookstock 2019, and even shed some light on Things to Do When You're Goth in the Country. Read on!" Among our favorite exchanges:
As Vermont's oldest continuously operated independent bookstore, how does the Yankee Bookshop stand apart from its peers?
Kristian: A lot of it is this town. Woodstock itself is such a unique and historical spot, and we want to reflect that as well as the interests of our community members.
Kari: The best bookstores are always a beautiful mash-up of their town and their owners' specific interests. That's what we're working toward with Yankee, and I think we're definitely getting there.
What do you hope customers come away with--other than a book they'll love--as they leave your shop?
Kari: The feeling that the independent bookstore is alive and well.
Kristian: We want them to feel some kind of connection--to an idea, or a feeling, or an emotion. When you give someone the right book, that's exactly what it is.
How do you see the bookshop changing by its 100th anniversary in 2035?
Kristian: Bookstores have existed for hundreds of years without much change--as long as there are books at the core, our physical bookshop probably won't change very much.
Kari: My hope is that no matter what happens, the Yankee Bookshop can do whatever it needs to do to stay current and relevant. Who knows what that will be? We've still got 16 years to go!