Business & Tech
Books Without Borders
Borders spirals out of business, but small book stores remain open despite challenges
With their small town charm, unique flare and comfortable set up, local bookstores seem to be a page ahead of the larger chain stores. Borders is the latest big box store to go under, unable to stay afloat in the digital age. The small, local bookstores around Fredericksburg remain in business however, even though they face many of the same challenges.
With their competition shutting down, small bookstores like and hope to see an increase in sales. Mona Albertine, co-owner of Jabberwocky says that they have seen an increase, but isn’t sure if it can be attributed to the closure of Borders.
Small bookstores have learned to adapt in the digital age, working against digital sales and e-books. “I think there will always be people who want an actual copy of a book,” Griffin says, “plus we know customers’ likes and dislikes so we can recommend titles.”
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Both The Griffin and Jabberwocky offer special incentives to beat out both larger chain stores and the digital book world. Jabberwocky can special order any adult book and will give a 15% discount, while The Griffin honors the Borders reward card, giving 15% off to customers.
One thing that the online world can’t offer is real life meetings with favorite authors. Jabberwocky will be hosting a variety of authors in the coming months, including Maggie Stiefvater, author of the books Shiver, Linger, and Forever.
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Jabberwocky also has more than just books. The store is divided by different subjects and interests, and within each genre are games and toys that connect directly to the books. The Griffin offers a comfortable space with coffee and places to read. “We want people to feel at home,” Griffin says, “and they do.”
“Personal service makes small bookstores great,” Albertine says. “A couple of weeks ago, a couple came in and spent a lot of time looking through the store. It turned out that they live in Williamsburg and had made the trip just for our bookstore.”
Even with e-readers and internet book sales, small bookstores still hold a certain attraction. They hope their customer service and interesting spaces will keep readers coming for years to come.
