Document Type

Article

Publication Date

Fall 12-15-2015

Course Name

EN217 - Journalism I

Faculty

Veronique Mistiaen

Department

Media & Communication; College of Arts & Sciences

Abstract

Reading is idolized in our society. Being a book-lover is a trait that many, including myself, share. Yet, all over the world, independent bookstores are dying due to the rise of Amazon, the pressure of gentrification, and the prevalence of supermarket bookstores. Independent bookstores are of immense cultural significance to us as close-knit, welcoming communities of concentrated creativity, emphasizing the need to be concerned over their diminishing numbers. The factors causing their plight are researched through scholarly sources and then further explored through variety of interviews- with the shop owner, with people who choose to frequent independent bookstores, and with author Alix Christie. Though this issue is global in its scope, this article explores it through a narrow lens: A small secondhand bookshop in Brixton, London with a dog as its sales associate. This article is of value to all those who care about reading, who care about small businesses, and who desire a new way in which to gain new perspectives about an issue which impacts many American cities.

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