I think that one solution towards the preservation of the role of bookstores should be that dealing with them should not exclude, but instead facilitate the acquisition of the electronic formats. This would be granted if the purchase of a printed copy of a text implied the right of access to its electronic version. In fact, such systems already exist: there exist editions which allow downloading the electronic format upon presentation of a proof of purchase of the printed format. This way, one could enter the store, visit, enjoy the relevant benefits etc., and at the same time not be presented with an alternative "paper vs electronic".
I expanded on this concept, originally meant for this thread, on the first post at
The right to own electronic copies of texts after buying printed copies