We love this documentary about booksellers! We love that it shows the diversity and delight of independent booksellers. Pacific Northwest Bookseller Association Executive Director Thom Chamblis commented, “These ‘Visit a Store’ videos are the kind of things that we would like to do for our booksellers.”
Among the national sampling of independent bookstores, the video features two from the Pacific Northwest: Third Place Books in Lake Forest Park, WA and Powell’s City of Books in Portland, OR. Among the people interviewed are PNW author Garth Stein, Third Place’s managing partner Robert Sindelar, and CEO of Powell’s, Miriam Sontz.
If you have the time, treat yourself to a watch. You’ll see a store in New Orleans, a store in Iowa City, stores in Florida, and maybe a new side of a store that’s in your neighborhood. (Did you know that Robert Sindelar once worked for another one of the stores featured?)
There are plenty of quotations that had me nodding my head. Mitchell Kaplan, owner of Books & Books in Coral Gables, FL, said, “What you get from [bookselling] isn’t always able to be measured in dollars and cents.” In his store, Cristina Nost elaborates on the value of a bookstore: “People meet, mix, develop new ideas. Things happen here.”
Customers and authors and booksellers: Let’s keep those great things happening.
Well, THAT was a great way to end my Saturday night! I can’t wait for my fellow booksellers to watch this and be inspired. I’m so proud of those booksellers featured and they have spoken well of our hallowed profession.