[Shane R]

NYTimes:

Amazon’s success as an online retailer of physical and electronic books has already devastated chains like Borders and seriously wounded Barnes & Noble.

Independent booksellers, though, are seeing sales growth in many parts of the country, showing how reluctant some book fans have been to give up browsing store shelves.

“There are all kinds of studies that show the best way to find things when you don’t know what you’re looking for is an old-fashioned bookstore,” said John Mutter, editor in chief and co-founder of Shelf Awareness, which publishes an email newsletter for booksellers and librarians. “I think that’s a major part of what Amazon is trying to do with this bookstore in Seattle.”

Mr. Mutter said the success of some booksellers could not have escaped the notice of Amazon’s chief executive, Jeff Bezos.

“They seem very thorough in terms of competing,” Mr. Mutter said.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/03/te...ookstores.html