Fading American Bookstore

The pace of change in today’s society is staggering. As a result, some products and institutions which have been part of our world for decades are slowly fading from view. They’re slowly becoming extinct, spiraling downward as the conditions required to sustain them diminish. Bookstores, fixtures on the landscape since the advent of the printing press, are one such institution.

I grew up in a family of modest means. While I couldn’t have every shiny toy that called to me, my parents never said no when I wanted a book. Reading and learning went hand in hand, making me a good student with a bright future. As I got older and became more self-aware, I viewed books as keys to unlocking my life’s potential. Browsing the shelves, knowing I could keep the treasure I found, made me feel like I had control of my destiny.

There’s an uneasy parallel between the life story of bookstores and my own. Once, we were new and full of promise. During the peak of our lives, we each fulfilled roles deemed essential in society. As those roles are taken over by others, we’re in search of new purposes to be identified with. We feel vulnerable with our mortality in plain sight.

Books and the written word themselves aren’t going away. Still, I don’t feel the same connection with today’s bookstore alternatives. These photographs are made in tribute to the indelible mark this institution has made on my life.

© All images Copyright 2010 – 2020 by Ed Grossman. Any reproduction or other use without the express written consent of the author is prohibited.