It's no surprise that small, independent bookstores have a place in BookNet's heart (if corporations can be people, BookNet can have a heart!). So we're pretty pleased to be able to feature another one in our 5 questions with booksellers series.
Nestled in the heart of Midland, Ontario on the shores of Georgian Bay is the aptly-named Georgian Bay Books. Open since April 2016, they sell books by and about local residents, promote local artists, host events and book signings, and generally aim to be a community hub! Our kind of place.
Sandy Dunsford and Sarah Kenney answered our bookseller questionnaire in this instalment of 5 questions with:
1. Which author would you most like to have for an event in your store (living or dead)?
Can't decide between Jane Austen and Agatha Christie. Both are strong female writers that have stood the test of time. Both would be amazing to talk to about books.
2. What attracted you to bookselling?
We both love to read and gush about books.
3. What's your favourite bookselling war story?
Being sent to an author event and the manager didn't order the guy's new book. Or when the organizers only ask you to show up like two days before so you have three copies.
4. What is the most pressing issue facing bookselling today?
Being undercut by Amazon and bargain prices online.
5. What forthcoming book are you most excited about?
The Dinky Donkey, sequel to The Wonky Donkey, because it has been so fun seeing customer reactions to such a ridiculously adorable book.
BONUS: An aunt comes in looking for a gift for her niece, who likes embroidery and Proust, just got a new job on a cruise line, and whose beloved schnauzer just passed away. What do you recommend?
We would recommend a cozy mystery like Meet Your Baker by Ellie Alexander or a rom-com like My One and Only by Kristan Higgins.
Thanks for taking the time to answer all of our questions.
Find all of our bookseller responses to this questionnaire here.
A deep dive into book prices in Canada from our upcoming Canadian Book Consumer Study 2023.