The tug-of-war between personalized small store customer attention and big chain store glamor is fittingly exemplified in the 1998 film You've Got Mail. Besides being another Tom Hanks-Meg Ryan rom-com, this film puts independent store attention at ends with the then booming popularity of large chain book stores. (In the film, Ryan's small shop The Shop Around the Corner is at ends with Hanks' Fox Books). Fast forward 13 years and swap mega-stores for smart e-Readers and the fight remains the same.
In the fight between technological advancements and small independent bookstores, will hardcover classics beat out touch screen display?
Curious Book Shop and Archives Book Shop--both located on East Grand River Ave.--have been a staple in East Lansing since they opened in 1973 and 1987, respectively. Store owner Ray Walsh began selling books in 1969 as a student at Michigan State University and said his stores offer customers "odd things" that the bigger book store chains don't have. Things such as vintage magazines, original edition comics, and old maps.
In a time when big chain bookstores such as Barnes and Noble are struggling to maintain customer interest and Borders locations are closing around the country, these small stores have stood the test of time.
Promotions Coordinator at Schuler Books, Whitney Spotts, said the store lives by their motto "Big Store Selection with Independent Attention." She said the store is keeping their eye on technology and is trying to get their foot in the door.
Digital Lead at Barnes and Noble, Joe Schmidt, said electronic selections are cheaper than regular books and products like the Nook offer customers convenience.
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