Independent bookstores
thrive despite big chains
Eugene s smaller bookstores
rely on community support in
order to compete with larger
stores such as Barnes & Noble
ByJanMontry
Oregon Daily Emerald
Seven years ago, Scott Landfield
and David Rhodes converted a small
warehouse into a bookstore called
Tsunami Books, using wood recy
cled from old high school and col
lege bleachers to create bookshelves.
Today, although they love the
work, Landfield realizes that own
ing a small bookstore in Eugene has
its ups and downs.
“At least from our point of view,
it is very satisfying,” Landfield
said, but “we have discovered that
in this American world it takes
money to make money.”
Eugene has a wide variety of
small, independently owned book
stores, many of which rely on com
munity support and a love of books
to survive.
Peter Ogura, who owns Black
Sun Books, said the combination of
support makes the business impor
tant to him on a personal level.
“I really do care a lot about books,”
Ogura said. “And I know about
books; it’s not just a job for me.”
According to Landfield and Ogu
ra, the creation of large book chains
and “superstores” hasn’t affected
their business as much as many
may think.
Landfield, who deals mostly in
used bt>oks, said business at Tsunami
actually went up 50 percent after Bor
ders opened locally. Landfield attrib
utes this increase to his selection of
used books and a community spirit
that brings loyal readers to his store.
“We don’t think in terms of com
petition, we think in terms of carv
ing a niche,” he said.
Landfield and Ogura added that
the community spirit and faithful
reader base is what makes inde
pendent bookstores worth explor
ing. The number of independent
stores, however, makes it harder to
bring in new readers. Owners must
worry equally about big chains and
other independent stores.
“I only strive to be a neighbor
hood bookstore,” said Ogura. “It’s
Adam Jones Emerald
Foolscap Books, located at 780 Blair Blvd., has many rare and discontinued titles.
Area Bookstores
♦Nattonaf book drains
B. Dalton
Gateway Mall
726-0441
Barnes & Noble
1163 Valley River Dr.
687-0356
Bordets Books & Music
5 Oakway Center
345-6072
Waldenbooks
Valley River Center
344-9431
* Local independent stores
Book Mark
856 Olive St.
484-0512
Book Fair
1409 Oak St.
343-3033
Mother Kali s Books
72G£.13thAve.
343-4864
Smith Family Bookstore
768£,13thAve,
345-1651
525 Willamette St.
343-4717
Tsunami Books
2585 Willamette St.
345- 8986
University of Oregon Bookstore
895 E 13th Ave.
346- 4331 ' '
Foolscap Books
780 Blair Blvd.
681-9212
Black Sun Books
2467 HHyantSt
484-3777
mim
imp
certainly a challenge for (Eugene’s)
population. We have many small,
independent bookstores.”
Marietta Bonaventur, who owns
Foolscap Books and deals mostly in
used publications, said independent
book businesses give a chance for lo
cal authors to get published, and they
keep consumers’ money in Eugene.
Bonaventur, who plays in a band
with Tsunami co-owner David
Rhodes, also said many independent
bookstores around Eugene rely on
each other to sustain themselves.
“In this community, it’s really
cool that the used bookstores have
a dial-up with each other,” she said.
Another venue of support for in
dependent bookstores comes from
University students and professors.
Both Landfield and Ogura said they
get a lot of support from the college
crowd, especially the creative writ
ing and philosophy departments at
the University.
“Mostly it’s a decision by people
in (those departments) to support
independent bookstores,” said
Ogura. “It’s not a big money maker,
but it brings new people in.”
Contact the reporter
at janmontry@dailyemerald.com.
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