Walked into a small bookstore in Portland and noticed something weird

I was visiting Powell's Books last Saturday and saw at least 5 people taking photos of the shelves for Instagram but not actually buying anything. The staff member at the register told me they get around 30 people a day doing that now. Has anyone else noticed bookstores turning into photo sets instead of places to buy books?

3 comments

3 Comments

luna2618d ago

Actually I see it a little different. Those Instagram photos are free advertising for the store. Every time someone posts a picture of those beautiful shelves at Powell's it reaches people who might not know about it otherwise. I've had three friends discover incredible indie bookstores just from seeing someone's post and deciding to visit. And let's be real, bookstores have always been about more than just transactions. They're community spaces where people browse, hang out, and soak in the atmosphere. If someone takes a photo and doesn't buy anything that day maybe they'll come back later or grab something online after being reminded the store exists. The staff probably gets annoyed but I bet the owners don't mind the free promotion one bit.

beng517d ago

Totally agree with all of this. I found my favorite bookstore in Portland because a friend posted a picture of their mystery section, and now I spend way too much money there every time I visit.

rowanw917d ago

Employees need to run that through their managers instead of just complaining. Store policy on photo takers is a quick fix if the owners actually want to change it.