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| Tres Anderson | |
Tres Anderson, along with his sister Becky and brother Peter, owns Anderson's Bookshops, two successful independent bookstores in Naperville and Downers Grove, Ill., in the western suburbs of Chicago--with a third store opening in August in La Grange. Shelf Awareness asked Anderson a few questions about Catholics, Catholic books, Pope Francis and how independent bookstores can best serve their Catholic customers.
What does Anderson's Bookshops do specifically for your Catholic book buyers?
First, Catholics buy books. They mark occasions that are important to them with books, cards and gifts for Baptisms, First Holy Communions, Confirmations, Easter and Christmas. They buy books for graduations and teacher gifts. They buy books about saints, they love prayer books and they like to buy books that teach them about the Catholic faith. I've found over the years, if you carry Catholic books, they'll make your store a destination and they'll tell their friends about your store.
What are Catholics looking for from Anderson's and other independent bookstores?
Well, this is related to the previous question: Catholics have strong families--culturally, historically, the family unit is very important. Catholic parents are always looking for good books on explaining their faith to their children. Like most people, Catholic adults look for inspirational reading, often from tried and true sources like the saints and more recent Catholic bestselling authors like Fr. James Martin and Fr. Richard Rohr. Talk with your Catholic customers, ask them what kinds of books they'd like to see in your store, reach out to your local parishes, and then let them see you're listening by carrying the resources they're asking for. Not only will they come and buy Catholic books from your store, but they will buy lots of other books and items as well.
Do you think most bookstores do a good job of serving their religious customers?
I find traditional religious books are often under-represented in independent bookstores. You'll often find the "spiritual but not religious" kinds of books in many stores. I understand, but I also believe a general indie should reflect the community it serves. If you have churches, synagogues, mosques and meeting halls in your community, these are your customers. You owe it to yourself to reach out and let them know you want their business.
Has Pope Francis has sparked sales of Catholic books, and do you think his visit to the U.S. in September will provide an opportunity for independent bookstores?
Pope Francis coming to the U.S. in September is a great opportunity for indies to tie in to his visit. Media coverage will be wall-to-wall. Look, I'm not Catholic, but Pope Francis is one of the most fascinating people on the planet today. He is in the news every day, whether you love the guy or not, everybody's paying attention. Bookstores need to make sure they are, too.