Author John Hodgman poked fun at the demise of Borders in a Daily Show appearance (video embedded above) this week, urging booksellers to “replace their old-fashioned bookshelves with beautiful, well-appointed downloading pods.”
On Twitter this morning, Hodgman got serious and shared his affection for independent bookstores. He clarified in a tweet: “I’m not suggesting opening an antique technology storefront would be easy, but it’s not impossible. And it won’t be a large chain.”
Below, we’ve collected five bookselling suggestions from Hodgman’s Twitter feed. What advice would you add?
1. “For physical bookstores to get ahead of ebooks, focus on books that don’t work on that platform: art, comics, books by John Hodgman.”
2. “With my affection for my friends & B&N & the late Borders #1 in Ann Arbor, a chain of massive books bath & beyond stores just isn’t necessary now.”
3. “Just because there’s amazon doesn’t mean there are no more clothing stores. Just no more 12 pak tube sock boutiques. Smart, well curated bookstores in the right location should and will always thrive.”
4. “Mail order and downloading=a tremendous challenge for retailing. Bookshops can work, but will need to be very smart and well located.”
5. Hodgman concluded by retweeting links to indie bookstores around the country, including these stores: