Apr 10th 2012 07:55 am Sleeping adjourned

Buy the new book, "Beaucoup Arlo & Janis!"Today's "Arlo & Janis!"
I’ve spent some time hanging around in bookstores lately. I won’t try to mention them all. Besides, I already have at one time or another. All the bookstores I’ve visited are independent, not part of a large corporate chain. It will not come as news to devotees of the written word that these brick-and-mortar outlets are special places. Some do better than others, but none are immune to the considerable pressures of modern retail realities, and all are nervous. However, I’m heartened that the smaller stores suddenly seem better positioned to weather the storms than the large chain bookstores that seemed, less than a decade ago, to be poised to obliterate their smaller competitors. Support your local bookstore! You are doubly fortunate if it’s a strong, community-minded independent.

Posted by jimmyjohnson / Vintage A&J

18 Responses to “Sleeping adjourned”

  1. Steve from Royal Oak, MI on 10 Apr 2012 at 9:49 am #

    The same holds true for all local stores, whether they be hardware, grocery or restaurant. The local stores often respond better to the customer’s needs. This isn’t always the case, but there always needs to be room for the little guy.

  2. M.A. in VA Beach on 10 Apr 2012 at 9:56 am #

    Couldn’t agree more! I love our local restaurants and, I’d like to add to the local list, the Farmer’s Market. Our office is also blessed by the entrepreneurship of a co-worker who brings in some very good eggs, not to mention the venison!

  3. Anonymous on 10 Apr 2012 at 10:05 am #

    I agree JJ and Steve fRO,Mi.

    We live in a small town of 6,000 and there are a couple of local restaurants, a great pizza place, two hardware stores some interesting clothing boutiques and an IGA. Walmart is the overpowering presence.

    Nearby- in Gray Georgia- there is a new and used bookstore called Kema’s Hobby (Pronounced as Tonto would want it pronounced- Kemma-sabby.) So glad that Kema is holding her own. Come to think of it, I have some books that need trading. Guess I’m off to Gray!

  4. Anonymous on 10 Apr 2012 at 10:06 am #

    I agree with you too M.A. from VA

  5. Tom (from somewhere in Georgia) on 10 Apr 2012 at 10:08 am #

    Oops- while enjoying the new computer smell, I forgot to sign in. I am the above anonymous poster. Sorry.

  6. Mark from Maine on 10 Apr 2012 at 10:10 am #

    Alas, our local chain of independent bookstores, Mr. Paperback, closed down last week. Sigh.

    The people who owned Mr. Paperback also ran the newspaper and magazine distibution for the nether regions north of Augusta. They planned to stop delivering out of town (Boston, NY and Wall Street Journal) as well, but someone has picked that up, so I can still get the Boston Globe, NYTimes or WSJ when I’d like a paper copy.

    Times are sure changing.

  7. Nancy in Bucks County on 10 Apr 2012 at 10:56 am #

    As a small business owner manufacturing furniture, we have endured store after store closing – stores that have been around for 3 generations. American made furniture will be all but gone very soon. The big guys have all moved to Vietnam for their “skilled” workers and the small stores that support us just cannot compete. Looking like an early retirement… and then on to something different.

  8. TruckerRon on 10 Apr 2012 at 12:13 pm #

    Nancy in Bucks County — That’s a problem I saw coming when I drove for Watkins & Shepard. Many of my loads involved dropping carpet I picked up in Dalton GA at our terminal in Myrtle MS. Then I’d spend a day picking up loads at local furniture manufacturers in the Myrtle area, and then sometime before dawn the next day, head out with a mixed load of carpet and furniture to deliver to stores in Missouri and Nebraska. Towards the end of my career, that was changing, with more of those products showing up at ports in California and being taken eastward.

    We all have to adjust to changing conditions or fade into extinction like the T Rex or even the Smilodon.

  9. Dave in MA on 10 Apr 2012 at 1:03 pm #

    This is one of my all time favorites and one I had cut out of the paper back when it ran as new. Don’t still have that, though.

    Makes me wish the “buy this” link was still showing up each day. :(

  10. Erick in Fort Gratiot on 10 Apr 2012 at 1:28 pm #

    Over the last few years my wife and I have gradually moved much our business away from the big boxes to the local proprietors (furniture, appliances, etc.). Whatever we may “lose” for not taking advantage of a discounted item, is returned tenfold in service before and long after the transaction.

  11. Erick in Fort Gratiot on 10 Apr 2012 at 1:28 pm #

    Over the last few years my wife and I have gradually moved much our business away from the big boxes to the local proprietors (furniture, appliances, etc.). Whatever we may “lose” for not taking advantage of a discounted item, is returned tenfold in service before and long after the transaction.

  12. sandcastler on 10 Apr 2012 at 2:30 pm #

    Erick in Fort Gratiot, been to Memphis lately?

  13. Mary in Ohio on 10 Apr 2012 at 2:44 pm #

    When a Borders opened in Medina a few years ago, the indepedent bookstore “The Village Booksmith” closed, saying they had always said they would close if a big chain moved in. Trouble is, within 3 years, Borders was gone from the area. The Booksmith’s shouldn’t have given up so soon!

  14. sandcastler on 10 Apr 2012 at 2:48 pm #

    MiO, open a bookstore and invite JJ for the grand opening.

  15. Mark in Boston on 10 Apr 2012 at 4:33 pm #

    Now, suddenly, China is becoming prosperous with a growing middle class. China builds 20 new cities the size of Boston every year. Massachusetts exports a lot of things to China: computers, industrial machinery, electrical equipment, leather, wood pulp, plastics, aluminum etc. etc. It’s not all one-way from China to us.

  16. Beth in MA on 10 Apr 2012 at 4:52 pm #

    regarding today’s retro strip: Many years ago I was part of a small study group that met weekly in my then Rabbi’s study. There were just 4 of us around the table. I had a very busy schedule between part-time work, 2 young children, housework, etc. Every week I would struggle to keep my eyes open. One week I couldn’t keep my head up and it went down onto the table. I was fast asleep. At the end of the class, after the others left, my very kind Rabbi gently woke me up and said “I’m so glad I was able to give you this opportunity to catch up on your sleep.”

  17. Tom (somewhere in Georgia) on 10 Apr 2012 at 5:58 pm #

    Your Rabbi obviously sensed you were at peace! Good Rabbi~!

  18. Boise Ed on 11 Apr 2012 at 1:44 pm #

    Dave in MA, you said “Makes me wish the “buy this” link was still showing up each day.” If you go to http://www.gocomics.com/arloandjanis/2012/04/10, they have a “Get This … Print” link. I have no idea how much (if at all) that helps JJ, but there it is.