The Value of Local Independent Bookstores

Professor Ryan Raffaelli teams up with Porter Square Books in Cambridge, MA - one of the hundreds of bookstores he’s studied - to explore industries facing shifts in their business models and how they adapt. Independent bookstores provide a story of hope by focusing on core values that include community, curation, and convening. For more on Raffaelli's research, see: hbswk.hbs.edu/item/why-indepe...

[@mikeywestside8509]

There's always going to be some schmuck out there buying brand new books at the listed prices who don't know any better. I haven't bought a new book in ages. My local library has monthly book sales and they are discounted 80 to 90%.

[@TimSmithWordSmith]

Is this still a trend? I feel like we need an update.

[@Luumus]

I really want to support my local bookstores but I read a lot in English and I very rarely can find the books I want to read available there. Only online and often even from international websites. I'm all for supporting bookshops, specially the smaller ones, I would just hope, at least in my country, that they would have a wider collection. Of course I can't expect them to cater to my needs specifically. I still try to go there first to check before buying online. And I never EVER use amazon. Terrible company, don't buy from them.