Little people rock! Indie Bookstores Galore.

Avid Reader, Indie Bookstore, West End, Brisbane.

Well you'd have to be living under a rock or in a cave not to have heard that a couple of the Big Bookstore chains are filing for bankruptcy. I've read a lot about it on my American friends' blogs. I'm sure Borders, Angus & Robertson et al do great stuff for authors and such in America but not in Oz where they're just selling points. The stores are fun to browse (especially Borders) but I don't usually buy from them, being rather drawn to the little guys...indie bookstores. In Oz, indie bookstores are rockin' and always have done, as we're a nation that just loves the little guy, the underdog. It's one of our most endearing quirks I think.

Did you know that in Oz, indie bookstores account for 20% of total book sales, whilst in America the indies only have 8% of market share and in the UK a pathetic 3%? (I got this hot off the press in our newspapers today!) I can well believe it as most every little town here has a bookstore or two, and you can't walk a city block without tripping over a couple. There's a quirky, alternative suburb next to the city of Brisbane - West End - I've lost count of how many indie bookstores there are over that way! I can walk across the river and browse for hours at cute little bookshops like Bent Books (above).

Why are indie stores so popular here? Probably because of the slower pace of life - we like to stop and smell the roses as they say. So that transcends into loving finding an indie bookstore or two or three where we can go and chat to an owner/sales assistant who's having trouble getting their nose out of a book behind the counter. Indie stores hook you in here because they are manned/womanned by book lovers for book lovers.

Fiona Stager who is the co-founder of Avid Reader, a drool-worthy bookstore in West End, verifies my previous comment. She says: 'It's often the service, the experience, the interaction with passionate readers and knowledgeable staff, the events program, book clubs - these are what will save independent booksellers.' (Currently Avid is hosting an art exhibition which has raised $3,000 so far for Q'ld flood victims.) 

Bill Concannon, chief executive of Mary Ryan Bookstores (where you can sup at a wonderful cafe whilst you read) says: 'We're like the village well of old where people would meet up as part of their routine.' I love that image and feel it's close to the truth. Bill said '...independents could run profitable businesses if they were prudent, gave exceptional service and interacted with customers.' He goes on to say: 'It's what the e-book will never be able to offer.' (Not that I'm not a supporter of the e-book!)

The Fair Imports Alliance slapped part of the blame for the book giants going into administration on online sales...in Oz forty to sixty percent are made to overseas companies.

I'm not smug about indie bookstores in Oz. I know times are tough for businesses as a whole, but I have high hopes for the continuance of the indie bookstore.

 Jessica Rudd, author, daughter of ex-PM Kevin Rudd (now Foreign Minister) and his wife, Theresa Rein, at an indie bookshop on the release of Jessica's first book.