I’m only just now catching up to Nathaniel Popper‘s story in last Friday’s WSJ on generous indie bookstore customers who provide money to keep struggling small retailers in business and “see themselves more as donors than investors, committed to saving the ambiance and personal service of their local store.” (That assessment is immediately followed by a lovely bit of cheerleading for the free market: “They also provide a welcome alternative to lawsuits… and calls for government intervention against the corporate giants.”) Good piece, lots of examples to choose from, and a clear-eyed honesty about how even customer investment isn’t always enough to prevent bookstores from going under.