Black Friday shoppers were in a good mood at indie bookstores around the US
Catching up with PW's Andrew Albanese
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Across the country, independent bookstores are reporting a solid start to the holiday season, reports Andrew Albanese, Publishers Weekly senior writer.
The positive news comes in spite of fears that the absence of a blockbuster title – at least in the adult aisle – would prove an obstacle. In 2018, Michele Obama’s Becoming memoir had helped propel many indies into the black.
As PW reported in national round-up story, Bear Pond Books co-owner Claire Benedict said Black Friday “shoppers were definitely in a good mood” at her store in Stowe, Vermont. And in Middlebury’s Vermont Book Shop, Black Friday sales were up 37%, “a big surprise to me,” according to owner Becky Dayton.
In Washington, DC, Mahogany Books reported Black Friday sales 15% above last year, largely helped by hosting the launch of Michael Eric Dyson’s latest book, Jay Z: Made in America at an offsite location, which drew “a couple hundred people.”
“One of the great stories in recent years has been the resurgence of indies,” Albanese tells CCC’s Chris Kenneally. “Having a bookstore in your community is important for the future of reading.”
Every Friday, CCC’s “Beyond the Book” speaks with the editors and reporters of “Publishers Weekly” for an early look at the news that publishers, editors, authors, agents and librarians will be talking about when they return to work on Monday.
