Rockland County’s two locations – one in the Palisades Center, the other on Route 59 at Rockland Plaza – remain open. They’ve had four CEOs in five years and have closed more than 150 bookstores in the past decade. Ultimately this was a failed venture, losing the company more than a billion dollars.ī& N has managed to stay afloat for longer than predicted. B&N responded by trying to get in on the ebook craze and created their ereader, the NOOK. B&N operated on a model of being the big box store of books, carrying so many titles at such a high volume that they could offer lower prices than any independent bookstore could ever match.

That kind of patronage builds loyalty, even if books do cost less on Amazon.īarnes & Noble, once enemy number of one of independent bookstores, met an ironic fate with the rise of Amazon. They need to be more than just “bookstores” in order to be profitable – and food and beverages are a big draw. Local bookstores still compete with price-slashing from Amazon, and with the big chains. Since 2007, hundreds more have closed, including more than 600 Borders. More than 1,000 bookstores closed in that seven year period. This is a positive turnaround - from 2000 to 2007, independent bookstores were on the decline. Indie bookstore sales were up 5% last year, and the industry saw an average annual growth of 7.5% over the past five years.

Dropping into a bookstore serving wine or coffee offers the promise of social interaction.Įven ebooks, often touted as the death kiss to physical books, are becoming less popular and giving way to printed books.ĪBA membership is at its highest point since at least 2009, with 1,887 members in 2,524 locations. As more people spend time online, they crave connection. Curating books gives local sellers an edge as does being the place where everyone knows their name and what they like to read and drink. Indie bookstores are winning customers back from Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble and other powerhouses by offering strong connections to local community values. The store offers a “matchmaker” service – book lovers fill out a form that includes the last book they’ve read, genres of interest and price points, and the book store offers a match. Binnacle Books, a new and used book store in Beacon, hosts readings and partners with Dennings Point Distillery. The store hosts children’s and family programming, book clubs, readings, signings and discussions. Split Rock Books in Cold Spring, which carries a curated selection of new books with a focus on literary fiction and non-fiction, small presses, local interest and children’s books, opened in 2018. Barking Goose hosts weekly trivia nights, book discussions, game nights and other community events. Barking Goose Bookstore Bar and Café in Newburgh, which opened last year, serves craft brews, wine, cider, coffee and small bites like chili, sliders, and tacos. The 21 st century book store is striving to be the kind of community hub that Starbucks or Barnes & Noble fails to be, and the nexus of connection that it once was.Īlong with Rough Draft, the Hudson Valley roster is growing. In essence, the latest iteration of the indie bookstore is Cheers meets Central Perk meets Ted Talks. They are hybrid of bars, cideries, wineries, coffee houses, event spaces, bakeries, and more. Independent bookstores are popping up in the Hudson Valley – but they are much more than simply bookstores. It would make Meg Ryan’s character in You’ve Got Mail twirl and smile an ironic, retro smile – as in everything that’s old is new again. The scene is a delight to hipsters and bibliophiles alike. Two patrons are introducing their leashed dogs to one another. There’s a small group gathered on a couch plotting efforts to help Andrew Wang become the next president. Some are browsing the bookshelves others are sitting at the long bar nursing a brew or a coffee.

It’s the last day of 2019 and Rough Draft Bar & Books in Kingston is swarming with activity. What pairs well with Counter Culture espresso, Industrial Arts Metric draft beer, or pie from Down Under Bakery? Books. Bookstores Are Cheers Meets Central Perk Meets Ted Talks

Rough draft bar and books