Even before the term "Third Place" had been coined bookstores had been a sanctuary where we could feel safe and have a shot at interacting with like-minded people. Few of those bookstores remain.
In Madison, Connecticut there is R.J. Julia which manages to not only survive but thrive through special events. Big names in the literary world swing by for a talk and book signings.
But here in North Haven, CT, the Barnes & Noble chain is not doing all that well, reports THE NEW YORK TIMES. In the critical holiday season, the company's retail sales were down 10.9 percent and its Nook sales down 12.6 percent. Horrors.
Our worry is that there will be no Barnes & Noble to hang out in. During Irene, when our power went off and we couldn't connect to the Internet, we knew exactly where to go: Barnes & Noble. Some of us were there all day. We rotated seating to have access to the electrical outlet to recharge our laptops and smartphones.
What can we do to save Barnes & Noble? Not too long ago I ponied up the cash to buy a hardcover book. I plan to buy more of the magazines instead of continuing to freeload and read them in the cafe. If we all open our pocketbooks we may be able to hold onto this special space.
Comments