bookstores are having a hard time of it, and we're not just talking borders' continuing pavane with general electric, its creditors and the bankruptcy courts. independent bookstores have always needed to be hyper-sensitive and hyper-reactive to market changes, reading habits and the wants and needs of their communities to stay in business, but the quick rise of ebooks has proven to be more of a challenge to brick and mortar bookselling than even the popularity of virtual stores, which traditional indie sellers have in some cases been able set up themselves.
times are tough. add to that a general economic malaise, and it's understandable that bookstores are doing whatever they can to tighten their belts and hunker down for a long winter. but powell's? the hope diamond of independent bookstores and the cultural symbol of downtown portland?
thirty-one layoffs -- seven percent of its unionized workforce. it's never been easy to land a job at powell's (i remember going up to the fourth floor on my second day in portland and being all but laughed back down the stairs when i confidently presented myself for employment), but now it's more than apparent that we're not going to be seeing any postings for openings in the stacks at the store on burnside or in the local warehouses for at least another year. for details, this post at the portland mercury blog. not that we think there's really a chance of it, but we'll repeat the response in the mercury because you can't hear us knocking on wood: "DON'T DIE, POWELL'S! DON'T DIE! (please)" i can't promise i'll be buying any more new books this year than usual (christmas only comes once, and my nieces only have so many birthdays), but i'll do my absolute best to boost your used sales.
best wishes for an easy rebound to those thirty-one.
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