Booksellers report good, steady sales

Local bookshops cater to interests of local readers

Humboldt County’s local bookstores are marching into the new decade with steady sales and an ethic of community shopping on their side.

Even as online retailers spent the 2010s chasing the literature industry, local booksellers say their relationship with residents remains strong. The businesses fared well this past holiday season.

“It was really busy; we had strong sales,” said Jennifer McFadden, co-owner of Booklegger, the used bookstore in Eureka’s Old Town. “It’s really fun during the holiday season. It’s the very best of retail. The people who buy during this time of year are a really nice crowd.”

While online giants have zeroed in on offering bestsellers and e-editions, books remain a uniquely personal gift, McFadden said.

“It’s a pretty analog thing to pursue in a digital era,” she said. “It’s almost like you’re giving a person the gift of a pleasant time in the dimension of the written word.”

Up in Arcata, two bookstores stand across the street from each other: Northtown Books and used alternative Tin Can Mailman. Northtown owner Dante DiGenova said visitors from other areas are often shocked to see that the city supports two local book retailers, let alone a single storefront.

“It’s really fortunate for us being in Arcata,” DiGenova said, “with the support network to sustain an independent bookstore.”

This Christmas, Northtown offered what DiGenova called “a little stocking stuffer” — a small pamphlet explaining to shoppers why they shouldn’t support large technology companies like Amazon.

Among the arguments against the trillion-dollar business: No local tax base; efforts to monopolize; controversial labor practices.

“It’s an argument to have a more diverse selection of businesses to choose from, rather than just one monolithic entity,” DiGenova explained.

To differentiate themselves from larger retailers, local sellers try to offer the kinds of books that Humboldt County readers would enjoy. Booklegger stocks shelves with books on gardening, hunting and conservation — selections suited to an area rich in natural resources.

“It’s nice getting to know your community, and what it specifically wants,” McFadden said. “We just want to continue to be an old-fashioned type of business, catering to our readers’ modern and evolving tastes.”