Indie Bookstores
The Art of Curation and Experience
There is nothing better than walking into a small, one-room bookstore. As the calming atmosphere surrounds you with that lovely new book smell, your eyes drinking in beautiful covers, small toys, eclectic trinkets, and elegant stationery, no literature-loving heart could ask for anything more.
But with the rise of COVID-19, these wonderful businesses were faced with the threat of being shut down. In 2020, almost 30% of sales for independent bookstores fell, meaning that any significant and unforeseen expense could force them to close.
Far from discouraged, not only did independent bookstores manage to survive the pandemic, but they also boomed in popularity. Around 80% of booksellers saw higher sales in 2021 compared to the previous years. Moreover, about 300 stores have been opened since the pandemic, expanding the range and diversity of small businesses greatly.
The indie store Yu and Me Books, which specializes in books about immigrants and people of color, became the first Asian-American woman-owned bookstore when it opened in 2021. Independent bookstores can uniquely fill gaps left by corporate sellers and create richer, multi-cultural spaces for their customers.
But what made them so successful? How did they compete with the large booksellers while the pandemic was going on? What set them apart from competitors?
I was fortunate enough to find answers from local independent bookstores around my hometown of Harleysville, Pennsylvania.
Emerging in 2021, Bookish, an author-owned business focused on current releases, hardcovers, and special editions, has curated a unique and eye-catching experience for all who walk into its store. I had the privilege of speaking with one of the owners, Scott Minor, about Bookish and its perspective on curation: “We really try to find things that somebody will pick up and say, ‘this is so me’.”
According to a study done by Ryan Raffaelli, an associate professor at Harvard Business School, it comes down to the 3 C's: Community, Curation, and Convening. Raffaeli explains that independent bookstores encourage customers to support the community by shopping at small businesses, focus on curating unique inventory, and promote their stores as intellectual centers for convening with like-minded people
Minor’s curatorial approach at Bookish is to offer unique, rare books that buyers can’t find anywhere else. His shelves feature titles from authors like Brent Weeks and Julie Hall, who supply Bookish with specific and special editions of their books. Minor notes that Bookish “serves me, it serves our company, it serves our community…a place where these lesser-known authors can be found in a bookstore.”
But not everything can be easy when owning a bookstore. Minor describes the difficulty in saying no to an eager customer who asks for a book he doesn’t carry. “There’s so much that I don’t have, and it’s painful to not have everything.” There are many times I walk into an independent bookstore and don’t find what I’m looking for, but Minor’s philosophy makes me question why I’m limiting my search in the first place. The beautiful thing about indie bookstores, and what can set them apart from their competitors, is that they are an exploratory experience rather than a spending venture.
Minor and I also talked about the business of owning an independent bookstore. He described the challenges of maintaining the store, explaining that “It’s not a business that makes enough money to make it all work for all involved.” Independent bookstores must be hyper-aware of pricing the titles they carry. One major financial roadblock can cause the business to shut down. That’s why organizations like the Book Industry Charitable Foundation donate millions of dollars to hundreds of bookstores.
I also had the privilege to talk to another independent bookstore within my area. The Black Reserve Bookstore, owned by Shaykh Anwar Muhammad, is a center for Black literary culture that aims to bring a new experience to the local area.
When I asked Muhammad about his curation process, he told me, “I like the books that the people read to get inspired to write the books of today.” He told me that his leading motivation for the store was to create access to something that wasn’t previously available in the community. “Wherever anybody is, they should have things that they like in those areas.”
The Black Reserve carries not only a large variety of books but also a wide selection of other merchandise. This includes jewelry, incense, oils, cocoa/shea butter, natural toothpaste, soaps, paintings, carvings, and designer clothing. Muhammad says that this bookstore is the “home of all things Black.” He wants this store to celebrate Black culture in an area that largely lacks it. He posed this question during our interview: “What do they need to be exposed to, to aid in the betterment of the community?”
Just like Bookish, I was thrown into a unique, wonderful experience when entering the store. The warm music, the overflowing bookcases, the sitting area, the interesting merchandise, and Muhammad’s welcoming presence made my goal of an interview transform into something much more meaningful.
Independent bookstores are constantly looking for ways to engage with the community, as well as establish themselves as art and cultural hubs. Many bookstores now offer spaces to read, study, or relax, and they also plan literary events like author signings. They might also carry book-inspired toys or products, gifts, branded merchandise, T-shirts, and book subscription memberships to boost their sales and cater to the interests of their community.
John Ingram, the chairman of the Ingram Content Group, is quoted as saying, “…I want to be sure local bookstores—gems of their communities—have a chance to not only survive but thrive.” He also goes on to say, “Bookstores are the lifeblood of local communities—their success is our success.”
My time at both Bookish and The Black Reserve Bookstore emphasized my desire to help keep independent bookstores in my community. I have seen too many small shops in my neighborhood close because of financial struggle and the pandemic, and I hate the idea of watching more of them go down the same path. We can keep these bookstores alive by supporting them, which can look like buying a book, attending an event, or even just stopping by to browse their carefully curated shelves.
Katie Murray ('27) is a Creative Writing and Publishing & Editing double major from Harleysville, PA. She currently works as the Head Visual Arts Editor for Susquehanna's Sanctuary Magazine and has her work published in the University of Cincinatti's Shortvine Literary Journal. She also is on the executive board as the Public Relations Chair for Susquehanna's Forum for Undergraduate Student Editors. When she's not writing, she's performing with Susquehanna's Symphony Orchestra, working on an art project, or baking a fresh batch of chocolate chip cookies.