Very very long essay about bookstore business

(cautionary note: I've tried to write this up a couple times in the past, and always got distracted or bogged down on mis-remembered details. But tonight I have a horrible head-cold, I'm over-tired from the sixth day in a row at the Post Office, so I'm going to sit a write until, until I stop I guess.)

In 2003 I gave a talk at DucKon about the changes in the bookstore business, and how I felt they affected my shop (The Stars Our Destination) and why I eventually decided to close down. I did keep notes from back then, but of course I can't find them now that the topic was brought to mind by james_nicoll.

( Cut because I care: background )

Rather than go through each change as it occurred I'm going to zip all the way forward to 2003, the year I decided this just wasn't working any more. At that time, I had observed five major factors that affected my business and influenced my decision.

( 1) Location )

( 2) Big Publishers )

( 3) Small Publishers )

( 4) Competition in the field )

( 5) Competitors from outside the field )

No one factor was "the killer", but taken all together, it was time to find something else to do.

Ah, I've run out of energy - more later perhaps ...