Quote:
Originally Posted by queentess
And I think this quite nicely sums up the whole thing:
A community gathering space apparently can't support a business... who knew!
|
They are doing something wrong then.
Red Emma's in Baltimore is doing well and they are definitely a community gathering place (they even have a row of computers set up for public use). It helps that the food and beverages there are very good. They are also specialized, so that no doubt helps: they have a very progressive/alternative/anarchist/diy slant, they are a worker-owned collective, and their food is fair trade/vegetarian/vegan. They have identified a segment of the population to appeal to and they cater to it. It's my favorite bookstore (along with the
Booknook, a used bookstore that is much closer to where I live). I don't think bookstores (especially used ones) are going away any time soon. I do think that the gigantic temples to Book-capitalism will wither away, in favor of smaller, leaner specialized stores. I would rather drive to Charles Village and pay full retail to support an organization promoting an economic model I approve of and offering books otherwise difficult to find than get a cheaper price on-line. Homo-Economicus is a figment haunting the minds of ideologues.
Luqman