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| - Warning: I'm feeling somewhat long winded and philosophical. Sorry, this is going to be one of "those" reviews.
I guess the problem comes down to the proposition that book stores can not charge admission. Given how much people like to just wander in to book stores to browse, kill five minutes, escape someone on the sidewalk, and how little people go in to book stores to actually buy a book, it would make sense that people should be willing to just leave a quarter or three in a jar at the door. There is a good that is being consumed for free.
This is not to say that all things should have a price attached to them, but when that service is being provided at a cost (e.g. rent) and that service is becoming increasingly rare given the prevalence of places like Amazon, shouldn't people be willing to subsidize it to keep it in business?
I try to do my part. I buy cook books here every once in a while. But that's the problem: it's only once in a while. The remaining proportion of the time, I go in, browse, see what looks interesting, and then look at the price tag. Then the problem hits: how much is it worth to me to have this place. Is it worth paying $45 for a book I could get online at Amazon.com for $26? Day to day, I do go on Amazon and buy it at nearly half the cost. But once or twice a year? Sure. Because I like being able to come in and browse. The price of books in Toronto (Canada?) is just frustrating. When it is Book City, I have no problem walking by and seeing them go under. When it is the Good Egg, I really want them to stay in business but the reason I am willing to pay more is because it is a tax, plain and simple and a "public good" is being provided.
So why do I feel this way? The Good Egg had a characteristic that all great book stores share that is sadly too rare (rhyme word score +2). I'm thinking particularly of Green Apple in SF. They bring things to my attention that I never would have thought of, and even more to the point, I end up wanting to buy. A North African/Moroccan cookbook? Neverwouldthoughtait, but yeah! I also have to applaud the fact that they have started stocking cocktail books. This was not the case a year ago but it is nice to see they are making an effort. The staff are wonderful too, they gave me a fresh chocolate chip cookie once. It was yummy.
I'll keep coming and keep buying, I just wish I did not end up thinking of the mark-up as a tax.
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