ABA at 125: 'Indie Bookstores' Superpower Is That They Can Make the Store Whatever They Want'
"The independent bookstores, their superpower is that they can make the store whatever they want, they can stock whatever they want. And when you think about the market as a whole, that creates incredible diversity in stock and books and displays and experiences in bookstores. When we homogenize it, what we have instead is something that looks really sterile....
"Bookstores are currently building their capacity to be centers that activate their communities and keep their communities informed about issues like the freedom to read, like the banks skimming off the top of transactions, and so much more. What we're doing right now is building this network of independent bookstores into a political force that I know can have a clear voice and stand up for the issues that impact them."
