Oh, and they also carry scores and scores of magazines on every conceivable subject, something smaller stores just can't do. A common complaint against the large factory bookstores is that they lack the intimacy of the smaller ones. Independent shops are part of the heart and soul of the communities they serve, and provide intangibles that faceless corporations never will. There may be some merit to these claims. The harsh reality is that the bigger stores serve the needs of consumers far better than small ones do.
People vote with their feet and with their dollars.
And they've been casting ballots in favor of the bigger stores for some time. The romanticization of independent bookstores has made them the Family Farms of America's cities, albeit without a Willie Nelson to tout their cause. But just because we may grow sentimental about them doesn't mean we should call the government in to aid a dying segment of the industry. Despite the sometime insanity of a legal culture that has produced O.J. Simpson's acquittal and the attempted breakup of Microsoft, signs developed recently that the independents weren't going to be able to get away with their legal jujitsu against their more successful counterparts. The ABA knew when to fold 'em, and last Thursday entered into a settlement with the two chains.