My Bookstore or Our Bookstore?
Chanmin Park
Abstract:
This study looked at the bookstores in several districts in
Toronto to analyze the spatial/location of the chained
and independent bookstores. By using Tonnies
definition of community and society, this study had
found the relations the chained and independent
bookstores have its community or their positioning as a
society.
Key words: Community, Society, Commercial, Capital,
Toronto
Introduction
Independent bookstores are perceived as
institutions that serve local communities while
chain bookstores serve the corporation. The
corporate identity of these larger chain stores
creates a system of self-interest where power is
centralized and profit is pursued over the
establishment of a community (Miller, 2006).
Using Tonnies argument that community is a kind
of social co-existence that is comfortable and
exclusive while society is a mechanical
construction that doesnt unite individuals.
Independent bookstores are often considered
pillars of their community (Miller) while chains
are considered sites of commerce (Liddle, 2005).
Background
We have mapped and colour coded 81 bookstores
in different districts of Toronto by using Yellow
Pages, Google Maps and Yelp. From laying out to
see the positioning each bookstore had.
To further dissect, we separated the bookstores
into: Big box chain stores; used chain stores;
independent stores; and out-of-business stores.
Culture, Creativity, and Cities Capstone Course | Dept. of Sociology | University of Toronto Scarborough
1265 Military Trail, Toronto, Ontario M1C 1A4 Canada
Focusing on chain bookstores and independent
bookstores we studied the conflict, a tension, that
exists between the independent and chain
bookstores.
By narrowing down to 5 selected samples
bookstores we investigated how retailers use web
pages to describe their bookstores as either sites
of commerce or pillars of community. We
analyzed how consumers perceive these institutions
as either community or society constructs in
Tonnies definition of the term through yelp
reviews Exploring the way bookstores are both
societal and community constructs allowed us to
re-consider the connection between the individual
and the united collective.
Methods
Out of a random sample of 5 bookstores, we
searched through entire webpages to find key
words and phrases that describe either Tonnies'
conception of society or community. The
mechanical construction that Tonnies defines as
society we interpret as commercialism, or, treating
books as objects for profit. In contrast, the words
that describe a store as a pillar of community,
treating books as having intrinsic value as objects
that bring people together, we interpret as Tonnies
conception of community. The higher the
occurrence of words that appeal to an individual
consumer purchase power, the higher the
commercialist rating. The higher the occurrence of
words/phrases that appeal to the interests of a
community, the higher the community rating.
We look for the occurrence of words and phrases
like sale or promotion versus community or Some of the bookstores that lists themselves as
connecting people together Any indicator word
or phrase of commercialism is counted as one
point. Similarly, any word that resembles a
community dynamic is counted as one point. We
add up the totals and record the results. We then
subtract the total # of community references (x)
from the total # of commercial references (y) to
indicate the level of commercialism. We define this
number as the commercial index.
Level of commercial index = (#x #y)
Findings
From spatial analysis, we found the positioning of
the big box chain stores spread from the few in the
core to outskirts of Toronto only to where the TTC
tracks end. Whilst the independent and used-chain
bookstores have clustered in the core of downtown
Toronto. The lack of any independent bookstores
outskirts of Toronto; We found that for
independent bookstores to exist, it requires a
density of population.
When looking at the websites of the bookstores we
have selected, those bookstores which fell under
independent did have higher characteristics of
community. Whilst the biggest box chain stores
like Chapters/Indigo
accounted for the highest commercial index.
Considering the size of the website, with more
phrases/words than other websites, we have made a
ratio to compare it with other bookstores;
Regardless of the size of the webpage, however,
the community scored very low in comparison to
the other bookstores. 3 to 72 translates into a ratio
of 1:24 respectively. Which means that for every
occurrence of "community" there are 24
occurrences of "commercial.
Culture, Creativity, and Cities Capstone Course | Dept. of Sociology | University of Toronto Scarborough
1265 Military Trail, Toronto, Ontario M1C 1A4 Canada
independent, such as Book City constructs itself
as an "independent" and certainly seeks to maintain
this reputation, it has four locations in Toronto and
is not as "independent" as other book stores with
one location. It did receive a neutral score under
levels of commercial index, indicating it being
something not quite "independent" but not quite
"chain."
Conclusion and Recommendation
Independent and chained stores of big box or used-
books depend one another in positioning.
Independent book stores focus on community
whilst chained stores focus around capital.
Communities would always have a bookstore, but
the bookstores may not always have the idea, and
the characteristics, of community as their focus.
The independent bookstore cannot survive without
density of population, and only the elitist of chain
stores can survive in the suburban districts of
Toronto.
The research this study could not go much deeper
is the issue with the pricing. Big-box chain stores
such as Chapters/Indigo would always have their
pricing lower than any other stores in any districts
of Toronto. With the innovation of shipping,
bookstores like Book City does not bother with
inventory management, or ability to search for
stocks. Instead it uses e-mails for checking
availability of the book.
Works Cited

Liddle, K. (2005). More than a Bookstore: The

Continuing Relevance of Feminist Bookstores for
the Lesbian Community. Journal Of Lesbian
Studies, 9(1/2), 145-159.

Miller, L. J. (2006). Reluctant capitalists:

Bookselling and the culture of consumption.
Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Tonnies, F., & Harris, J. (2001). Community and

civil society. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press.

Culture, Creativity, and Cities Capstone Course | Dept. of Sociology | University of Toronto Scarborough
1265 Military Trail, Toronto, Ontario M1C 1A4 Canada