On this edition of Your Call, we’re speaking with independent bookstore owners about how they managed to survive the pandemic. More than 70 bookstores in the US permanently closed last year and sales fell by nearly 30 percent.
Long before COVID, many struggled to stay afloat due to crushing competition from Amazon. In order to survive, bookstores had to rely on online sales and virtual events. What does your bookstore add to your community? And how will they survive in the years to come?
Guests:
Christin Evans, proprietor of Booksmith in San Francisco
Eric Whittington, proprietor of Bird & Beckett Books & Records in San Francisco