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REPORTS OF THE death of independent bookshops have been greatly exaggerated but the pandemic is showing just how hardy some of Ireland’s smaller operators can be.
Business restrictions might have put a stop to their in-shop retail operations, but a huge demand for reading materials from stuck-at-home bookworms and stressed parents has given shops a lifeline.
Some are better equipped than others to weather the crisis.
“I suppose we were lucky enough,” says Sarah Kenny, marketing manager of Kenny’s Bookshop on the Tuam Road in Galway City.
Having launched its first website in 1994, a year before a small company called Amazon arrived on the scene, Kenny’s claims to be just the second bookshop in the world to go online.
Consequently, its customer base has always had an international element to it but during the pandemic, domestic orders have become the shop’s bread and butter.
Kenny, whose grandparents set up the shop in 1940, says, “We’ve been online for years so it would have been a huge part of our business anyway.
“I know a lot of bookshops have been, let’s say, setting up a website or putting a lot more of their stock online at the moment so that they can facilitate online orders. But we were already in the position where we had an established presence.”
A bit mad
On the opposite coast and end of the spectrum in terms of online presence is Books Upstairs on D’Olier Street in Dublin 2.
Manager Louisa Earls, whose father, Maurice, originally set up the shop on Dame Street in 1978 and still owns it, says that their situation is “a bit mad”.
“We didn’t have a website. It’s currently in development, which is something that, coincidentally, we had only just started at the time of the lockdown.”
Instead, Earls and her co-workers have managed to tack an online element onto their business in quick fashion, using a simple, make-shift landing page, hosted on marketing platform Mailchimp, to advertise and sell its wares.
Earls says that not having “pre-existing infrastructure” has even been something of a blessing in disguise.
“Not having a whole inventory on a website meant that we kind of had to think creatively. So very early on, we put out this book bundles idea… in a way to recreate the feeling of when you go into a bookshop, and maybe you don’t know what you’re looking for in a new book you didn’t even know existed and you end up buying it.”
Customers can also request specific books through the webpage and by email.
Moment in the sun
Both Earls and Kenny have been blown away by the demand for online orders, which has kept the cash flowing into their respective businesses during the shutdown.
But before the pandemic, independent bookshops were having a moment in the sun.
After two consecutive decades of decline — as Amazon asserted its dominance and with e-books and browsing online beginning to replace real thing — the numbers of independent Irish and UK booksellers had been growing each year for the past three.
As reported by The Guardian, membership of the Booksellers Association had jumped from 868 in 2017 to 890 last year.
Although the increase is decidedly modest, it has to been seen in the context of broader retail patterns.
Early last year, Irish business lobbying group Ibec said there is “consensus in the sector that footfall levels in traditional shopping hot spots are continuing to decline… largely as a result of a move to online shopping”.
In January, before most of us had even heard of Covid-19, Dublin Town, an organisation representing city centre businesses, had noted a decline in footfall in Dublin City Centre of about 15% from the same time last year.
With everything seemingly going against them, how have small, independent bookshops been able to hold on?
Kenny and Earls believe it’s because book-buyers have actually become more thoughtful about their shopping habits, a trend they believe has been copper-fastened by the Covid-19 crisis.
“I don’t know exactly from when to date it, but there has actually been an incredible surge in conscientious shopping,” says Earls.
These days, there are actually a lot more people being conscientious about where they spend their money, wanting to support small and independent businesses and realising that if you don’t shop somewhere, then maybe it won’t be there.
“I would say that sort of thinking has been around for the last few years, but it was not maybe 10 years ago or beyond.”
Kenny thinks there’s just something in the Irish “psyche”.
“We are just are eager to support local and independent and to move away from Amazon where possible. It’s kind of naturally happened. So it’s been very positive”.
Reading habits
As for lockdown reading habits, Kenny and Earls are noticing te the same trends — lots of fiction and lots of children’s books, with a smattering of poetry, self-help and gardening books.
“There definitely has been a few changes from the norm,” Kenny explains.
We’re getting orders for regular children’s books and then also educational children’s books. There’s been a bit more of those. So, you know, teaching your kid at home or learning language, that kind of thing.
“Generally, I would say probably more fiction than anything else,” says Earls, although we have been also shifting a fair bit of poetry and essays.”
“Only the reading brave people are still interested in reading about politics at the moment.”
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Someone slap her with a fish
and her mother while they’re at it
Poor fish
Bristol Palin; single parent, teen abstinence advocate and Dancing with the Stars contestant.
Lectures President Obama.
the cats even got my tongue there, touché sir
Aww,just like her mommy,brain the size of a pea
That’s an awful exaggeration, it’s far small than a pea.
smaller*. Oh the irony, it’s unbearable!
I’ve known peas that have better attitudes…
“We know that in general kids do better growing up in a mother/father home” says the single mother
So this girl, who has no political clout and only has a famous mother decides that her view is right whilst his is wrong? Did she not do her homework and discover that Obama has always had the same stance? The journal found that out! http://www.thejournal.ie/video-how-obama-went-from-supporting-gay-marriage-to-supporting-gay-marriage-445982-May2012/
Mike i totally disagree with you about hitting her with a fish, what did the fish ever do to you?
Good man Dirtybollox, you really put him in his plaice
I don’t know about hitting her with a fish, but id certainly hit that, to use an Americanism.
I sea what you did there.
The only thing stupider than a Sarah Palin is the opinionated adolescent model.
Can you IMAGINE the damage that moron coulda done if she’d gotten within an ass’s roar of power over there?
The planet by this stage would probably be a glowing radioactive cinder orbiting the sun.
Agreed! slap her and her mother with a rotten wet fish and then build a border around Alaska. “In general kids do better growing up in a mother/father home”!!!!!!! That’s weird, my two children were A students, well developed, confident young people living with their mother in a one parent family. I wonder how that happened! Someone, please shut her up!
“…and then build a border around Alaska. ”
I think Canada may already have that one covered.
“Teenage mother lectures US president on morality”
That girl is so thick and homophobic a few times she has made remarks against gay people. I wonder if she is actually gay and thats why she finds them so threatening.
How many people voted for Bristol Palin again? Oh that’s right – no one! Also, the bible once encouraged women to be stoned for being unclean after their period, but after thousands of years of ‘evolving’ no one thinks that’s a great idea anymore. What was written by hermetic nut jobs in the desert thousands of years ago is hardly a blueprint for life in 2012; unless of course you’re from Alaska
Jesus but she has a head like a melted basin, and by the sounds of things a brain to match. The sad thing is that there are Americans who will listen to this tube!!!
What do you expect from someone called Bristol?
What a silly, immature girl..she still needs a lot of growing up to do. No doubt her mother is proud of her offspring.
shes the picture beside stupid in the dictionary . . .
Obviously brainwashed by her freaky Bible bashing mother. Good man Obama i hope you get another 4 years.
Mark – Is it possible for “liberal” parents to brainwash their children, or does that only happen when you disagree with their position?
Religion should be a personnel thing, don’t force it at people, like the Palins do. I agree with obama’s comments, we are all citizens and tax payers we all should have equal rights. Palins view on this is just like Romneys to religious freaks that should keep religion out of politics.
Isn’t she a single mom. A teenage single mom. How could she even make a comment like that that kids do better in a mom/dad home!!!
Maybe she read some of the research?
Or, just maybe, her experience as a teenage single mother (in much more privileged circumstances than others) has influenced her perspective???
It’s quite possible to accept that the circumstances of one’s life are not ideal, and still hold up the ideal as something to strive for. Personally I think that such a position is a mature and reflective one.
A single mom.
Shock horror. Scarlet woman.
Burn her at the stake.
I’m a newly single mother myself so I get it. What I meant is its not always the best thing for male/female parents to be in a home. What if there is abuse or neglect. Should the couple stay together just because statistics say its best. There is no reason why kids that grow up in a single parent home or male/male female/female home cannot have as good a life as those in a female/male home. I was referring to the fact that as a teenage single mother it wasn’t really thinking to make a statement like that!! If that was the case she and her baby’s dad should have remained together no matter the circumstances otherwise her child’s life is not going to be good and that is utter crap!!
What research would that be AlMar? The research that states emphatically that in terms of social, emotional and physical development kids with same-sex parents are no different from kids of ‘traditional’ (for want of a better term) families?
While entitled to her opinion, I for one see no value in it. Just a flippant homophobic remark about how Obama makes up his mind. Her ideas will appeal to people who are against gay marriage and highlight her as someone to ignore to everyone else.
Thanks paul I agree
What a plank.
The fact is the human has been around for a lot longer than the false religion and it’s false values that these people use to keep others down.
So that’s your answer!
Sorry Stefan, but that answers nothing.
What basis do you have for declaring anything to be false?
There are a lot of people who believe that you have your truth and I have my truth. Are they all wrong?
I get the impression that you would fight with yourself so I’m out!
He really would you know ;) Seems like a bit of a religious nut to me……
Emsy Wemsy: Are you referring to me???
Where did I bring religion in to this?? As far as I can see, the only ones to bring religion into it are those who criticised Palin. She herself didn’t even mention it.
Again, another example of attacking the person rather than engaging with the argument. Play the man and not the ball please.
Bristol Palin is a pillock, like her mother. Discuss.
Yup, a religious nut troll.
Pat Ryan handed him and Palin their ass on a plate hours ago but he had no reply -better to decry liberalism and tolerance as some sort of fascism instead of admitting defeat
Paul – where did I mention religion in this debate? Please show me.
In relation to the Pat Ryan comment, it did not need a response. The comments at the start of the story speak for themselves. The intolerance of the so-called “tolerant” is on full display throughout all of the comments – the mistakes of a teenage girl are held against her and somehow they supposedly invalidate her opinions.
The was uproar about Michelle Mulherin using the word fornication a couple of weeks ago. I’m no apologist for her at all, but imagine if she dismissed someone’s contribution to a debate on marriage by reference to her single motherhood. There would be uproar.
How is this different?
Come on Almar you know as well as everyone else here that your orthodox views precede your expression. Anyone who has ever bothered to click once or twice on any article that pertains a discussion on morality, religious or otherwise knows this.
Where did I mention religion in relation to THIS story? Religious belief has nothing to do with this story really.
I love it when people like her get famous through no endeavour of their own and they think that everyone should listen to their dull and rather boring rhetoric about any old subject that Mommy says is wrong.
I for one advocate that she should be allowed to continue to make an arse of herself. The simple reason being that Bill Hicks is dead and I haven’t laughed this hard since then! Incidentally, he would have made mince meat of her!
She has no relevance social, political or otherwise. She is just a daft wee lassie who has too much privilege at her finger tips. I think the next TV show she should sign up for is “Base Jumping with Stars”. Sorry just my Darwinian fantasy!
Oh and btw who cares if gay people get married…more power to them!
Bill could’ve used her in his goatboy sketch….and in fact,I think that’s exactly what he would’ve done with both mother and daughter. Goatboy would have a field day. Rip bill,a true comedy genius
oooh four red thumbs for my previous comment. That must mean Sarah, Bristol (great comedy name), her illegitimate child and the absent father read The Journal…
@AlMar
I have no interest in criticising “Bristol pathetic name Palin” for being a fool I criticise the mother for being an attention seeking lunatic and teaching her daughter to hold strong views based upon false values the very fact is these crazy people have followers and need to be condemned when they spout this bulshit.
Stefan: On what basis do you say that the values are “false”? How can any values be “false”?
You may disagree with them, but that doesn’t make those values “false”.
What remarkable “tolerance” you all show to Bristol Palin.
It’s convenient to belittle her as a “single mother” when it suits; imagine if a priest or bishop labelled someone as a single mother and dismissed them on that basis. And this from some of the same people who went apoplectic at the mere mention of the word “fornication” a few weeks ago…
I think it’s her double standards that people have a problem with here.
She talks about changing “thousands of years of thinking about marriage”, although she clearly doesn’t subscribe to the old ways of thinking about marriage and sex herself.
How do you know that there are double standards at work? Isn’t that a remarkably judgmental statement?
Perhaps she regrets becoming a teenage mother, and given the difficulties involved, she recognises that this is not the absolutely ideal scenario???
Maybe she has learned from her experience?
I am assuming that a lot of people here would describe themselves as “tolerant” or “liberal”. (Forgive me if that assumption is wrong). Well, there is precious little tolerance or understanding for this teenaged mother, and all because she dares to express an opinion that is contrary to the “liberal” consensus. How dare she, the brazen hussy!!
The double standards stem from her having sex outside of marriage and then lecturing people about adhering to traditional views of marriage.
Then there is also her dismissal of the views of the president’s 13- and 11-year old daughters. Is it because younger people’s views are totally invalid? If that’s the case then how can she believe that her view (as a 21-year old) is more valid than the president’s view (a 50-year old).
James, how do you know that she is having sex outside marriage?
We know that she HAD sex outside marriage in the past. Big deal! Do you know what she is doing today? Do you know the state of her thinking on the issue right now? Perhaps she just learned from her past??
But I go back to my original point – if a priest or bishop dismissed somebody’s opinion on the basis that they were a single mother, the sky would fall on them – this site would be filled with bitter criticism (and perhaps rightly so). But somehow it becomes acceptable to condemn a single mother when it’s convenient to disagree with them?
“judge not, that ye may not be judged;” quote taken from her own set of beliefs
I wasn’t trying to suggest that she is still having sex – I was referring to her having had sex outside of marriage.
I’m not condemning her – I have zero problem with having sex outside of marriage. What I do have a problem with is someone imposing their moral beliefs on other people despite herself not adhering to the moral code from which her beliefs stem.
James – maybe she adheres to that moral code now? Do we lose all right to speak on an issue simply because we sometimes fail to live up to our own standards from time to time?
You mention “imposing moral beliefs”. I don’t see where she has done that in this story.
No one’s condemning her for being a single mother. They are pointing out the hypocrisy inherent in her being a single mother while holding up the two parent ideal. By her own reasoning, she should be married off as quickly as possible. That obviously hasn’t happened, so she therefore either can’t find anyone willing to marry her(Unlikely: She is wealthy, healthy and fertile.) or truly believes that having parents that love each other is more important for children than having two parents and she is holding out. If parents loving each other is more important than having two parents, why is it suddenly less important if both parents are the same gender? That’s a pretty glaring flaw in her argument.
But of course rather than acknowledge that hypocrisy you’d rather just pretend it doesn’t exist and attack people and call them all intolerant because three of the fourteen comments (I’m not counting replies to the previous comments because I don’t know when they were posted. And if I did it would only help my point anyway) prior to yours point out that she is a single mother. And of those three absolutely none say her opinion is invalid because of it, or say that being a single mother is a bad thing. Seriously, go through those previous comments and actually find me a quote stating it’s bad to be a single parent. You won’t find one, because it isn’t there.
Al, she is seeking to impose her moral beliefs on others by advocating a prohibition on same sex marriage.
Troll, troll, troll!!!
TROLL!!
#justsaying
With a mother like mrs Palin you could only expect the daughter to be influenced in this way. And the very fact she is called “Bristol” a real trash name need I say more.
So now we judge people we disagree with on the basis that they have “trash” names over which they have no control?
I think Stefan just through the name in at the end because it adds to the ridiculousness. Stick to the first point he made.
Threw,not through….
Dear Palins ,
It’s time for you to face 21st century changes !
If there is not a reason to change thousands of years of marriage ! You should start a course “”how to e a great housewife “” The sexual revolution in the 60′s Changed thousands of years of mentality ;-) and it did work pretty well ! Otherwise nobody wouldn’t even know of your existence ;-)
Hope in 50 from now your gay son/daughter will be running for presidency !
Yours sincerely
The Palins have 1st edition signed copies of The Crucible, but for all the wrong reasons. They will never find their way into the 21st century. Religious bigots have a unique way of negating the present for what they most likely perceive as the garden of eden of the past. A past in which their orthodox views held sway and those unlike them were cast out by the wayside.
Thankfully such repugnant individuals are no longer in the majority, however that does not stop them visiting their malignant minds upon those of us who live in the present.
The apple does not fall far from the tree….
Stupid girl with a stupid name.
Any one who had doubts about Gay Marraige has been taken off the fence. Thanks Bristol…
My earlier comment of ‘single mom, shock horror, burn her at the stake’., was an attempt at irony which clearly didn’t get through.
My views are far from those.
I’ll try harder next time.
Conventional marriage is the way to go.
Husband, Wife and children with nice Christian names like Bristol, Track and young brother Combine Harvester.
Yes, it’s far preferable that he told Sasha and Malia that he would be selling them to their husband at the age of 13, after which they wouldn’t be able to work outside the home or own property. Because that’s what’s been traditional for hundreds of years.
Somebody got caught up in a ball of wool
No one would criticize a young girl for getting pregnant out of wedlock but in the case of Bristol Palin, an over indulged, spoiled daughter of a complete nut job…she should keep her stupid mouth shut, keep her stupid opinions within the walls of her nut house home and just get on with raising her son as a single parent.
The Palin clan are trolls
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