Something interesting is happening: the Brattle’s traditional demographic of bookish older men (No offense! We love you!) is being edged out by younger, more diverse, and dare we say, hipper customers. Why? Our photogenic outdoor sale lot has become popular on Instagram, creating a cycle of visits, alfresco shopping selfies, likes, organic advertising, and more visits. We’ll talk about the ways that this social media-driven shift is changing the shop, and the irony of an ultramodern communication network luring people back into the arms of dusty old books, on this potentially viral #brattlecast.
Brattlecast #109 - Where's Ken's Book? (audio fixed)
Edit: Sorry about the technical difficulties! The episode should work now.
Ken tells great stories, and he’s around books all day, so people sometimes ask him, “Why don’t you write a book of your own?” It’s a nice idea, but, unfortunately, being good at selling books doesn’t necessarily translate to being good at writing them. Jordan, on the other hand, has just published a memoir: ON-AIR: My 50-Year Love Affair with Radio, which he wrote with the help of an editor friend (learn more about Jordan’s book here: https://www.jordanrich.com/book.shtml).
Today we’ll talk about the mysteries and difficulties of the writing process, how hard it is to stay focused when writing feels like a chore, and why the funniest story in the world can come out so flat when you put it down on the page. Think of this episode as Ken’s séance for ghostwriters: Are you out there? Can you hear us trying to summon you?
Brattlecast #108 - Viability of Owning a Bookstore
Is it still viable to own a bookstore in 2021? Essentially yes, as long as you don’t have dust allergies, back or knee injuries, or a burning ambition to become fantastically wealthy by owning a bookstore. People getting into the book trade these days tend to open smaller, more specialized shops; some sell exclusively online, and some even have a full time job and sell books as a hobby. Today we’ll talk about the ways that the industry is changing, and Ken will divulge some of his secrets to bookselling success. Fortunately there’s still an audience for physical media, people still enjoy the experience of browsing, and online shopping is no substitute for the rich, idiosyncratic atmosphere that a good bookshop can provide.
As things open up again, we’d like to encourage our listeners to visit our shop at 9 West Street in Downtown Boston to see this and thousands of other fascinating items!