In re Jonah's comment about Powell's, I've noticed that one of the good independent bookstores in town has some kind of partnership to "sell" Google eBooks. However it works, the bottom line is: they get a cut.
That some indie book and record stores have survived, nay thrived, while Borders has crashed into an iceberg and sunk to the bottom of the sea is one of the most pleasant surprises I can imagine. Whatever they can do to keep going in the e-retailing economy, I'm in favor of.
Jonah, some friends of mine lived in a rural area of Ohio for a while; had a standing order for soy milk at the only "health food store" in a hundred-mile radius.
I can sympathize. We almost were in that situation in Ohio a couple years back when my wife was a finalist for a position at, hm, can't recall what college it was now. Maybe Miami (OH) University or Bowling Green (OH) University... some college that had a tiny main st and then nothing for hours each way. I think Cincy would've been the closest to us, and that was nearly two hours away.
We live in Frankfort, KY now, and there's plenty more options for us, and we're also closer now to Louisville and Lexington. Louisville recently got a Trader Joes, and Lexington is getting one soon. Also, Whole Foods in both places, as well as Indie health food stores and various ethnic based groceries for stuff like seaweed, etc. We still have to drive to get some of these dietary "luxuries", but the drive ain't nearly as bad as it once was.
We have a neat bookstore in our town. A first floor with new stuff, and a second floor attic filled with used. There's tables and chairs on the second floor, nice view of Main St, and the bookstore is attached to a neat coffee shop which occasionally has live music. No music store around here (that I know of). We do have a decent comics shop, which I'm happy with; decent supply of quarter comics, and a bunch of trades, some of which I didn't even know existed.
The same store has now posted its "never ever buy" used record list. As some commenters has posted out, the list largely reflects the demo of young adults selling their 90s record collections. The double presence of The Eagles has been noted as well.
Comments
That some indie book and record stores have survived, nay thrived, while Borders has crashed into an iceberg and sunk to the bottom of the sea is one of the most pleasant surprises I can imagine. Whatever they can do to keep going in the e-retailing economy, I'm in favor of.
Jonah, some friends of mine lived in a rural area of Ohio for a while; had a standing order for soy milk at the only "health food store" in a hundred-mile radius.
I can sympathize. We almost were in that situation in Ohio a couple years back when my wife was a finalist for a position at, hm, can't recall what college it was now. Maybe Miami (OH) University or Bowling Green (OH) University... some college that had a tiny main st and then nothing for hours each way. I think Cincy would've been the closest to us, and that was nearly two hours away.
We live in Frankfort, KY now, and there's plenty more options for us, and we're also closer now to Louisville and Lexington. Louisville recently got a Trader Joes, and Lexington is getting one soon. Also, Whole Foods in both places, as well as Indie health food stores and various ethnic based groceries for stuff like seaweed, etc. We still have to drive to get some of these dietary "luxuries", but the drive ain't nearly as bad as it once was.
We have a neat bookstore in our town. A first floor with new stuff, and a second floor attic filled with used. There's tables and chairs on the second floor, nice view of Main St, and the bookstore is attached to a neat coffee shop which occasionally has live music. No music store around here (that I know of). We do have a decent comics shop, which I'm happy with; decent supply of quarter comics, and a bunch of trades, some of which I didn't even know existed.