The bookstore from which I would never buy a book is at it again. Remember this from July 16,2008? Well, here we go again. This time it's Sarah Palin and her new memoir that are being ridiculed by the business-plan-challenged management of Bookshop Santa Cruz. Not surprisingly, the Santa Cruz Sentinel is there to cheer them on:By golly, a downtown bookstore has found a way to poke fun at former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and draw attention to her new book released this week, "Going Rogue: An American Life." Several copies of Palin's book, about her experience as John McCain's running mate in 2008 and life in Alaska, are stacked on the checkout counter at Bookshop Santa Cruz next to a bowl filled with small bags of walnuts -- a 2-for-1 special of sorts. Customers who buy Palin's book, priced at $29 in hardcover, also get a free bag of "Just Plain Nutz."[...]
However, down the street at Borders, customer Marc Schwartz laughed at the Palin stunt, but turned the joke on Bookshop Santa Cruz.Why would any conservative-minded reader patronize a bookstore that believes he is an idiot? Obviously if Bookshop Santa Cruz has only sold one copy of a book that has already sold 300,000 copies elsewhere, the answer is: they don't patronize it. I admit to getting a bit of a chuckle from the fact that this bookstore is located in a state on the brink of financial collapse and in search of a bailout from the rest of us. Does that tell you a little about who is "Just Plain Nutz"?
"For them, it's hypocrisy. They're using Palin to line their pockets," Schwartz said. "They like capitalism as long as they have a monopoly on it."
Bookshop Santa Cruz isn't worried about offending many customers. So far only one book has been sold.
"We know some customers have to buy it because it's on some uncle's wish list," Coonerty-Protti said. "But it's not a big seller for the Santa Cruz market. We haven't had a lot of interest in selling the book anyway."
(No, I am not a fan of Sarah Palin and will not be reading her book. I am, though, intrigued by the utter stupidity of some businesses and those who "manage" them.)
Wow. I'm not a fan of Palin myself, but any idiot could see that that's a stupid way to try to sell a book. Why did they even bother buying copies of it for their store? It seems like a waste if they don't plan on selling it - and, really, they don't plan on selling it, because, if they did, like you said, they wouldn't insult the people who want to buy it.
ReplyDeleteThat's my point, too, Library Girl. These fools are more concerned about scoring cheap political points than they are about selling books. Anyone believing that's a good business plan for a bookstore is "nutz."
ReplyDeleteA few years ago, my sister and I were in Rome. I was prepared to spend money on tourist trinkets, but I was not prepared to spend it in stores that were selling Che Guevara iconography. I will not buy from someone who is selling a product I find offensive. He can sell it, but I do not have to buy it. That's the beauty of capitalism.
ReplyDeleteAnd the irony of Che Guevara being sold is almost too rich. Do you think he is spinning in his grave? Or happy that he is finally doing something that is making money, since he ruined every other economic enterprise he touched?
"Anyone who claims they can monitor national security by looking out their window toward Russia is a little off base,"
ReplyDeleteDoes she know that Tina Fey said this, not Sarah Palin? Who's off base now? Does she get all her news from SNL? Does the reporter know this and is she trying to make the manager look bad? Or are they both ignorant of the true source?
I understand how you felt, Factotum. I have a similar reaction when I see material in stores that makes fun of Southern stereotypes. I take offense and generally just leave the store because, in my mind, it tells me a whole lot about the mentality of the management involved. I don't hand over my money to pea-brains.
ReplyDeleteFactotum, Palin-hatred is not only rampant; it seems to lower the IQs of those who catch it by at least 50 points, too...especially in the San Francisco Bay area.
ReplyDeleteI lived in Santa Cruz when the Border's was first being built. The locals went nutz then too. While Bookshop Santa Cruz is a great bookstore, like most people in Santa Cruz they wear their politics on the OUTSIDE of their wallet while they criticize you for having a leather wallet - with money in it.
ReplyDeleteP.S. Stumbled on your blog while looking for a picture of Louisa May Alcott's desk ... and you're doing a GREAT job!
Sean, thanks for stopping by and taking the time to leave a comment.
ReplyDeleteI'm constantly surprised by the way people find their way to Book Chase. Some of the search terms that got them here in the past have been a bit on the embarrassing side...yours is a nice one.