Books are the treasured wealth of the world and the fit inheritance of generations and nations.
–Henry David Thoreau.
Books are More than a Product
We became involved with selling books at Book Beat out of a respect for the material they contain and what they represent. Books are the most powerful objects in the world.
It does make a difference where you shop for books. Our values are reflected by the support we give to the products we buy and where we choose to buy them. When a cheaper price is the bottomline to your shopping and when the decision of when and how a book gets published is kept in the hands of a select “privileged few”, the system of publishing and distributing books is failing us. Major publishers and the mass-merchants of books have steadily sold off this country’s most prized possession: our intellectual property–our books.
Harper Collins, Little Brown, Random House, Knopf, Harry Abrams, Double Day, Bantam, Dell, Putnam, and Macmillian have all been sold to foreign interests. The large U.S. English publishers are now gone, all owned by large multinational corporations outside of the USA. They now make decisions to cut authors and print-runs solely based on economics, the cultural fallout is staggering, linked also to controling political motivations.
For Barnes and Noble (the last mass-market chain store standing) and the 900 lb. online gorilla Amazon, decisions are made by just a few buyers supposedly “informed” with the public’s best interest. These selected few, influence and guide what gets published, at what price, and how books are marketed. Years ago hundreds of independently owned bookstores once controlled all market buying and selling decisions–a time when the system was spread out and democratic. The playing field is no longer democratic or level.
Mass market and digital era retail has been effective (and devastating) in the areas of hardware, drugs, food and clothing. Gone are the local pharmacy, corner hardware store and the personalized clothiers of yesterday. We now live in a 24/7 world of online price-on-demand, guided by hyper-speed capitalism that never sleeps.
The purpose of large chain stores and online gorillas are the same: to control and dominate the market, to be always open-for-business; selling the highest quantity in the shortest time; to win the war of capital. By killing off competition, gorilla capitalism monopolizes the market, strangling free trade and forcing smaller and mid-sized publishers to accept unfavorable terms. Only a few strong publishers with integrity have the nerve and guts to buck this trend.
This age of speed, greed, and price discounting comes at the expense of our enrichment and diversity. A personalized selection, good service, and an aversion to censorship is something indie stores still offer. Indie stores are invested in community; hosting author events, and offering an ambience impossible to find online. Many readers and thoughtful consumers still appreciate the small personalized and private experiences that help enrich their community. Book culture and reading is a slow process that nurtures thought and reflection. Support for indie bookstores and small community business needs constant attention, community involvement and is still possible.
At Book Beat we sell and stock a wide range of quality books. Many are unusual, small press, and under-represented. Books we love and have read ourselves. Our focus has always been on children’s books, quality literature, art, photography, local authors, and important current events. We do not (or rarely) follow trends or the latest tik-tok sensation. Having an online presence is important to us; it allows our customers to see a selection of high quality and unusual small press books we carry, and they can read and hear about our store events at their leisure.
The presence of Bookshop.org, where we are an affiliate bookstore, has given us a nearly level playing field. Bookshop allows us to stock nearly every title in print, helping to level the field. Bookshop was a major source of income that helped carry us through the first year of the pandemic, and has become something of a savior for many other small indie bookstores.
Our Backroom Gallery is a unique online store featuring local authors, signed books, ephemera, photography, African art, and rare and unusual books in fine art and design. The Gallery is made for discoveries. Although we can only showcase a small fraction of what we sell in the Backroom Gallery, it represents a significant part of who we are and is an alternative to other online book sites.
Book Beat is a unique place, (as all indie stores are) and now one of the minority sellers of books. Your support is vitally important to us, and our survival depends on it. When you buy books online from gorillas, you diminish your community. Your money enriches a monopolist and takes tax dollars away from Michigan. When you are purchasing books, please think of an independent bookstore.
At Book Beat we specialize and stock a wide variety of children’s books and creative titles for thoughtful readers. We believe in a future of hope and bright ideas.Thank you for stopping by!
Cary Loren for the Book Beat