 |
|
| Eagle Eye Book Shop in Decatur, Ga., is offering store pickup. | |
What began late last week with a handful of independent bookstores announcing temporary closures has become the norm. Dozens of indies nationwide have now sent out notices to customers relaying the bad news, along with offering numerous alternative ways to support local booksellers as well as heartfelt expressions of concern. Here's just a small sampling of the messages being shared during these troubling times:
Brad Johnson, owner of East Bay Booksellers, Oakland, Calif., observed: "Beyond store stuff, we just want to say: the next couple weeks are absolutely crucial during this public health emergency. With so many people working from home and kids out of school, the temptation to not stay home will be high. But please... stay home, short of everything that's not essential. Our aim is to help make this as easy as possible. Be well, everybody, and look out for yourself and those most vulnerable / highest at risk."
Moon Palace Books, Minneapolis, Minn.: "We love being a part of this community and a place where people gather to share food, drink, art and ideas. We look forward to re-opening and seeing you all as soon as it makes sense. Please do your part to help 'flatten the curve,' socially isolate, keep physical distance, wash your hands, stay safe. There's no time to waste. People before profits."
"Well, I don't know about you, but I've been crying a lot this week," Kelly Justice, owner of the Fountain Bookstore, Richmond, Va., wrote. "There were moments when I was filled with tears of joy and gratitude for the blessings and gifts that have been bestowed upon me by virtue of my relationship with this bookstore and its community and all of you.... And we will be posting quite a bit on Twitter, FB, and Instagram to try to help authors who did not get to come and with all this social distancing, maybe I'm just speaking for myself, I feel the need for connection. I'm feeling isolated already. Cheers (Lord knows day drinking may be in order)."
Greenlight Bookstore, Brooklyn, N.Y., recalled that "we've always been proud that we're the store that opened its doors when there was a blizzard, or a hurricane, or a transit shutdown, or any number of other disasters that hit our city and community. We love to be the place that people gather to support each other, and to rely on the deep comforts of books and stories. But this is a disaster that demands the opposite response. In order to best support our neighbors, we need to NOT provide a space to gather, so we can do our part to slow the spread of coronavirus, especially among the most vulnerable in our communities."
Brian Lampkin, owner of Scuppernong Books, Greensboro, S.C., noted: "We think books are essential, and we can get books to you, but let's all admit that we can survive a week or two without a visit to Scuppernong.... We thank you all for all these years of support and we'll see you all in a week. Or two. In the meantime, keep reading. Of the many things we might learn from this moment, one is, and let's shout this together from the streets of Greensboro: knowledge matters. Information matters. Testing matters. Let's all do our part in making Greensboro a city that might lead the way in mitigating the crisis in front of us."
And some good advice from the Book Bin, Northbrook, Ill.: "In conclusion, stay inside, read books, take walks, share long meals with family, play board games and of course, wash your hands. We will get through this. We will not be stopped from reading great books. We will be your community partner through all conditions--neither rain, nor sleet, nor hail, nor cold will close the Book Bin--but sadly COVID-19 will. But only temporarily. See you soon."
Roxanne Coady, owner of RJ Julia Booksellers, Madison, Conn., observed: "If there is even a tiny bright spot in the confusion and worry of these last few weeks it is an appreciation for our sense of humanity to each other including little kindnesses and gestures of well-being. It is this that will guide us at RJ Julia Booksellers in the days and weeks ahead. We are here to help and we know we can count on your support and good wishes. Thank you. Stay healthy and stay in touch. Hopefully soon I can say, see you in the store."