Could a co-operative community model of bookstore ownership be the way of the future for indie bookselling, asks Christina Palassio in “Take My Bookstore—Please”. I read this article with hope after reading many articles on the demise of the indie bookstore and hearing anecdotes about why book buyers are abandoning their local bookshop in favour of [insert reason: e-reading, online purchasing, other media, etc.].

Palassio offers examples of bookstores that have embraced a new ownership model, such as Buffalo Street Books in Ithaca, NY. The bookstore raised money, and hopefully strong a customer base, by selling over 600 shares in the store.

I’m very enamoured with this model, because as messy as co-operatives can be, it produces the pride of ownership that makes the community care and take action to keep their bookstore alive.

“Take My Bookstore—Please” by Christina Palassio  |  THIS Magazine, Jan–Feb 2012  |  this.org