Beloved Business: Park Road Books
'Comfort reading' is up during the pandemic, but sales have dipped, owner says
This article originally appeared in the October 2, 2020, edition of The Charlotte Ledger, an e-newsletter with original business-y information and analysis for Charlotte. Sign up for free:
The comfy chairs are gone for now at Park Road Books, which has seen a drop in sales during Covid. Even with a heightened interest in reading during the pandemic, sales there have dropped 10 to 20%. Online retailers like Amazon that offer free overnight delivery are tough competitors for local bookstores.
by David Griffith
Beloved Business is an occasional Ledger series checking in with some of the Charlotte area’s best-known local companies.
Sally Brewster, owner of the Park Road Books independent bookstore, describes her store’s experience during the pandemic in only one word: “Bizarre.”
It certainly began strangely.
North Carolina listed bookstores as essential businesses when Covid hit in March, but Mecklenburg County did not. Brewster said she initially offered curbside pickup for purchases, until about two weeks into the shutdown when someone mistook the store as being fully open and reported it to police.
To avoid confusion, Brewster shifted to mail delivery-only, and the store stayed closed for in-person shopping or pickup until June 1.
Park Road Books was founded in 1977 and is Charlotte’s only independent, full-service bookstore that brings in new books directly from publishers and hosts book signings and other events. Famous authors from David Sedaris to John Grisham have visited the store during book tours.
Since reopening, there have been fewer customers, Brewster said, but the ones who do come are buying more books.
“At first we saw a resurgence of people like, ‘I’m gonna read “Moby Dick,’” Brewster said, “and then the realization that maybe they didn’t want to read ‘Moby Dick,’ so we’re seeing a lot of what I would call ‘comfort reading.’”
Comfort reading means rereading older, more popular tomes. Brewster mentioned “Game of Thrones” and Agatha Christie mysteries as two popular items.
Another strong booster of sales this summer has been the sociology section, as nationwide events have driven an increased interest in topics like inequality and the Black Lives Matter movement. Puzzles have also been a hot item.
Despite the increased interest in reading, Brewster said August numbers were down about 10% of where they were in 2019. She said the store has drifted between a 10-20% percent sales slump since the pandemic began. She had to furlough two employees but has since rehired them.
Park Road Books has also been forced to hold off on events, which is unusual for a store known for hosting dozens of readings and community gatherings every year. It experimented with some virtual readings at the beginning of the pandemic but found they didn’t bring in many sales. Instead, she’s finding online events publishers and writers are hosting and promoting them among her customers.
One of Brewster’s biggest headaches has come from the postal system. Numerous changes at the U.S. Postal Service have slowed delivery times, causing a big impact to Park Road Books and other small businesses.
Park Road Books has long used the USPS for online orders because it allows books to be sent at a discounted media rate, much less than the usual cost of sending a package. The slowdowns, however, have put the store at a disadvantage as it competes against online behemoths like Amazon that offer free overnight delivery.
On a recent rainy afternoon, a few customers trickled in and out of the quiet shop. The comfy chairs and sofas aren’t currently open for readers to sit and sample books, but employees are still ready to help with recommendations and suggestions. Brewster said she hopes to resume events and allow people to lounge in the store again in 2021.
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Executive editor: Tony Mecia; Managing editor: Cristina Bolling; Contributing editor: Tim Whitmire, CXN Advisory; Reporting intern: David Griffith