Local bookstores provide an experience the competition can't match, says retailer

Independent booksellers in Nova Scotia say community support has allowed them to thrive in the face of competition from online retailers.

Many independent bookstores in the province and around the country will mark Canadian Independent Bookstore Day on Saturday.

Charlotte Ashley of Trident Booksellers and Café in downtown Halifax has been in the business for 20 years.

She said many bookstores went out of business when Amazon came on the scene. But she said the public is now realizing that local bookstores offer an experience that the online giant can't match.

"Coming to a bookstore and looking at what's on the shelf and engaging with other people who are in the space gives you a much better … ability to kind of find interesting things," Ashley said.

She said she is able to provide people with recommendations and match them with a book that fits their needs. Local bookstores also allow people to explore ideas and interact with others to talk about them, she said.

Michael Hamm, the manager of Bookmark in downtown Halifax, said independent bookstore day is becoming more popular every year.

Hamm said Bookmark has built many relationships with readers over the years and is something like a neighbourhood bar.

He said people sometimes pop in just to say hello and ask what staff are reading.

"That's why people keep supporting independent bookstores," Hamm said. "They become cultural hubs in communities."