Page 8 - BusinessWest March 20, 2023

The landmark Bookstore in Lenox has added a wine bar, another vehicle for bringing value — and an experience —to customers.
Staff Photo
she noted, including the Signed Edi- tions Club, which has more than 200 members, and the Gift of Reading Club for children, as well as regular author appearances; overall, there are maybe 125 events a year.
Meanwhile, the store has become the outlet for Mount Holyoke College merchandise of all kinds, from apparel to drinkware to stationary. (Years ago, the store sold textbooks to Mount Holy- oke students, but that business has changed dramatically, and it is no lon- ger part of the equation.)
Such changes, and such evolution, are necessary, she said, because the landscape has changed, and it is harder for independent bookstores to be suc-
cessful — not that it has ever really been easy.
The pandemic simply added new layers of challenge because people couldn’t come to the store, and, thus, there were no events for many months, she recalled. “The events went virtual, but it’s pretty hard to sell books at a virtual event.” What’s more, the college was closed, further reducing foot traf- fic. Through that GoFundMe campaign, federal assistance, and sheer perse- verance, the store was able to make it through.
“If it wasn’t for the federal govern- ment, we wouldn’t be here,” she said, adding that, moving forward, the store will continue to innovate, evolve, and
give people reasons to come through its doors.
“I’m very optimistic — I had to be optimistic to get through COVID,” she told BusinessWest. “People like the community aspect of this ... meeting people, discussing books with other people. That’s what we can offer people.”
A Real Page Turner
Tannenbaum is equally optimistic, but then again, he always has been.
He said his store has long enjoyed what he called a “loyalty factor” that has enabled him to push through the many changes and challenges that have come to this sector.
“I like to say that Barnes & Noble sells books, but they’re not really a bookstore.”
Indeed, he recalls that, when a Barnes & Noble opened in the Berk- shire Mall in Lanesborough (which closed in 2019), many of his custom- ers responded by saying they simply wouldn’t shop there.
But he acknowledged that many in this sector have not been as fortunate because they haven’t had that same level of community support.
“We did have people who used to come in and say, ‘we used to have a bookstore like this in our town, but it closed,’” he told BusinessWest. “And we would have to bite our tongue because we knew that they did not support it, and that’s why it closed.”
He believes that community sup- port stems from his ability to provide something other than just books. When asked to describe it, he said it’s an experience, a friendly atmosphere ... something that consumers just can’t get when they order books online or when they visit the national chains.
“I like to say that Barnes & Noble sells books, but they’re not really a
Books >> Continued on page 50
Celebrate the Difference Makers!
Helix Human Services,
formerly the Children’s Study Home
Nathan Costa
President, Springfield Thunderbirds
Burns Maxey
Board President, CitySpace
Claudia Pazmany, Executive Director, Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce; and Gabrielle Gould, Executive Director, Amherst Business Improvement District
Join us as we honor the 2023 Difference Makers with a celebration of their contributions to our community. Come get inspired!
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Gary Rome
President and CEO, Gary Rome Auto Group
Henry Thomas
President and CEO, Urban League of Springfield
Steven and Jean Graham
Owners, Toner Plastics Group
Springfield Ballers
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