According to WordsRated.com, the bookstore industry has been declining at an average rate of 5.7 percent each year since 2016. Unfortunately, it is clear that the culture of bookshops is becoming more old-fashioned and outdated in modern times as people have access to read through many additional options, such as eBooks.
However, Balcony Row, located in downtown Holly, has tried to revive the love for reading that younger people today tend to abandon.
Not only does Balcony Row sell intriguing works and have a kind and helpful staff, but the building itself is decorated neatly, with a bench beneath one of the front windows for readers to dream away. The store has many other tiny details, such as the strings dangling from the ceiling or the chairs in the corner that circle the shelves.
(https://www.balconyrowbooks.com/)
It’s a bookstore that truly makes an effort to awaken that spark of imagination in future readers. In the words of the owner, Meghan Zadereg, “I feel like a lot of people, they always say that they don’t like to read. But I think it’s just that they haven’t found what has interested them into reading, because once you like, catch the flame, you know?” Her passion for inspiring people to pursue this hobby is more than apparent.
This bookstore provides fresh copies of in-demand books, including their most popular novel, Go as a River by Shelley Read. In spite of this, Zadereg professed that the store’s most popular sellers are those distributed in the book clubs, due to the variety of genres covered. These clubs converse once every month to discuss a certain book, and it is a great method to connect with people that share similar interests.
Don’t fret if fantasy novels capture your interest when the particular book chosen for book club that month is horror; they switch genres pretty much every month to accommodate everyone, which is part of the reason the store is so community-based. Another reason it’s so welcoming is the fact that it’s simply located in Holly, which is a very friendly town that promotes small shops and community over larger-name businesses.
An example of this local atmosphere is the group-based meetings and author panels that occur within the store itself. “We all sit down on a Saturday morning and have coffee and sweets, and we talk about a specific topic,” Zadereg stated. “Just like, deeper conversations that don’t normally come up when you just talk to a friend.”
Zadereg’s business includes events and offerings that appeal to locals. “The majority of the stuff that we do, like to focus on, is very community-based.” From clubs to simply strolling through a bookstore with the perfect novel in mind, Balcony Row fosters a caring environment open to anyone.
| “A lot of people…say that they don’t like to read. But I think it’s just that they haven’t found what has interested them into reading, because once you like, catch the flame, you know?” — Meghan Zadereg, Balcony Row owner |
Additionally, Zadereg reported that the interaction with customers was her favorite part of managing Balcony Row – that she loved when customers would come in and compliment the store and strike up conversation. Although it’s a very different environment from her previous career, she prefers it. “I got into engineering because it was a very safe career. And it wasn’t for me; it’s like very much part of a corporate environment. And after working there for nine years, it didn’t suit me anymore.” Obviously, she enjoys the creative liberties that her job entails and the freedom that follows branching out of a big-name workplace.
Not only is reading and the culture of a bookstore important to her, but to students of Milford High School as well. Kyle O’Rourke claimed that he started his reading journey around elementary or middle school, with Lord of the Rings taking the spot as his favorite series. Part of the reason he values reading so much is the messages that authors portray through their writing.
“It’s almost like social commentary,” O’Rourke stated. “Different authors have different perspectives, but they’re just kind of, like, using a different medium to get that message across.”
He also discussed the importance of visiting a bookstore as opposed to simply purchasing an E-book or anything off of Amazon. Like Zadereg, he agreed that it stimulates human connection and enhances that small-town, welcoming vibe where people can come not only to browse novels, but to interact in a positive manner. “Actually physically going to a bookstore, like interacting with people, I think that’s kind of the reason why,” O’Rourke said when asked why he believes bookstores are important. “I think it also just encourages people to just be connected — be natural, functioning members of society.”
From both the owner of Balcony Row herself and a student’s perspective, it is evident how crucial a role bookstore is in everyday life. Not only does it promote visual aesthetics and the warm, fuzzy sensation of supporting a local business, but it connects humans in ways that an online purchase cannot.
Opening a package on your doorstep is not equal to being involved in one of the clubs the store has to offer. It will not foster connection amongst humans, regardless if that interaction is merely a “have a good day” on the way out the door.
You never know if your next friend will be at your local bookshop, so stop by the next time you stumble upon one and support a small business!