Failed Bookseller Whines to the Times
I thought bashing great chain bookstores like Barnes & Noble and Borders went out of style about ten years ago, yet here is the New York Times today with a piece lamenting the not-very-newsworthy death of a 26-year-old independent bookstore, Micawber Books in Princeton, New Jersey.
The piece struck me with the amount of space it devotes to the store's owner, Logan Fox, whining about how his store closing is everyone's fault but his own. First he blames television, then big-box stores, then the internet, then finally "the acceleration of our culture."
The real reason for his failure is revealed unintentionally further down: "[Mr. Fox] says he has only been inside a Barnes & Noble store three times. ('I can’t do it,' he said, grimacing.)"
Perhaps if he had visited Barnes & Noble more often, he would have learned something about pleasing customers -- which, of course, any entrepreneur must do if he doesn't want to have to shut his doors.
Comments (12)
happylee
Also interesting that the article doesn't mention the public skools that leave students less inclined to read than they otherwise might have been; the imposition of taxes on book publishers warehouses; the rise of the internet with its vast selection; etc.
Published: January 3, 2007 11:53 PM
Serenity
If Logan Fox had simply paid attention to his customers' needs, he might not be closing his doors.
For example, he mentions that no one spends hours looking through books any longer. This is simply not true. If he had followed Border's or Barnes & Noble's lead, he would have put in a few, big overstuffed chairs, so that people could relax while they read. He could have had a small cafe in the corner of his store. I've seen some older, independent bookstores do this (they somehow manage to find the space), and they continue to do business despite competition from major retailers.
Published: January 4, 2007 12:44 AM
Brad
1) I agree with him that the culture has changed. For better or worse? Who knows?
2) The 80's was some period of great mental output? I remember the same criticism then as now, too much TV, too much music, too many vidoe games. Same complaint different decade.
3) I've read that the sales of books hasn't really changed, granted to content may be different, but people are still reading.
4) If people are still reading, then it is his business model that is the problem, or perhaps his sniffiness and attitude toward people and their choices.
Published: January 4, 2007 9:38 AM
Jeremy
I can't figure out what bothers me more: an independent, community-oriented entrepreneur forced out of business by a limited liability, bureaucratic, government-chartered corporation, or an supposedly free-market economist pretending to know better than an entrepreneur how he should run his business.
Oh, wait - I figured out which one bothers me more.
Published: January 4, 2007 10:52 AM
Yancey Ward
Jeremy,
It was his customers, or lack of, that "forced" him out of business, not Barnes and Noble.
Published: January 4, 2007 11:11 AM
Reactionary
There was a similar situation in my area. Bottom line, it takes A LOT of capital to maintain a VERY slow-moving inventory large enough to encompass a number of tastes.
I doubt it was a failure of customer service. The model is well-known and widely applied: hire bookish young people, invite authors to do readings, serve coffee, provide places to sit, etc. The problem is cash flow and small business just can't generate the economies of scale to carry the individual stores.
Published: January 4, 2007 11:26 AM
Roy W. Wright
...or an supposedly free-market economist pretending to know better than an entrepreneur how he should run his business.
There are a lot of entrepreneurs who run their businesses badly, and I wouldn't be surprised if Mr. Huebert could do better.
Published: January 4, 2007 12:40 PM
hard return ¶
operating a family-run restaurant in competition with chains is treacherous--I know a guy who's run one for 35 years and regularly does "recon" missions at competitors--he takes a tape measure to see how far apart tables are, ask seemingly harmless questions, etc. To stay in business that long he's competitive rather than condescending.
Published: January 4, 2007 3:32 PM
Serenity
"I doubt it was a failure of customer service. The model is well-known and widely applied: hire bookish young people, invite authors to do readings, serve coffee, provide places to sit, etc. The problem is cash flow and small business just can't generate the economies of scale to carry the individual stores."
Admittedly, it also has to do with the area in which the bookstore is located. It later occurred to me that some of the the successful, privately-owned bookstores around here are in wealthy, bohemian areas that have used zoning to keep out the competition; i.e. big box stores.
However, it also helps when one week you can have Sean Hannity broadcasting his talk show from your store and then have Bill Clinton speak the following week.
Published: January 5, 2007 7:01 AM
Sam
Or maybe the key word here is 'whiner'. Sounds like a guy who wanted to get into business to makes heaps of money without thinking about what he could deliver to customers that would see them spending their money here rather than elsewhere. Hence when things go wrong its the 'everyone elses' fault but but mine' just like the bloke who'd blame his tools.
Published: January 5, 2007 7:29 AM
happylee
The pain! I just discovered that my favorite vitamin shoppe just closed because a new Whole Foods market nearby sucked away the cashflow. How sad! It was the classic vitamin shop, complete with sexy 60yr old owner who was a walking ad for clean living.
Ai, the cold, cruel market has taken her away from me. Perhaps forever. Whole foods is just too good. I know this because I love shopping at Whole Foods. Now it appears I have to buy my vites there too.
But I am pretty sure this lady went down with a smile, unlike the whiney schmoo in the NYT article.
Published: January 5, 2007 7:30 PM
Sione Vatu
I met a guy who runs a successful specialist bookstore in Paramatta. He's been successful in the face of competition from the big chains because he stocks specialist titles that the big guys simply don't cater for. They lack the knowledge and understanding of the clientel. He attracts the people he wants by understanding their requirements and interests intimately. His major problems stem from the activities of the local City Council.
Council increased the rates (land tax) dramatically. They closed down the road to hold "festivals" during the busiest times of the year (hence eliminating foot traffic). They undertook civil works of a significant nature, closing the sidewalk for months (hence eliminating foot traffic). They introduced parking meters and expensive tarrifs (hence discouraging people to come to town or anywhere his shop- now they go to the big box retailers instead).
Recently an associate mentioned to me that most of the businesses on that street are under new management or out of business within five years. They just can't make a go of it in the face of all the intereferences. they sell out (to some poor sucker) or go belly-up. The bookshop guy has hung on for over twice that long. I hope he stays but I fear he'll toss it in eventually. Perhaps the newspapers will report on this one day but I doubt it.
Sione
Published: January 7, 2007 1:23 PM