Chapter2Books Owner: Obama 'Needs to Show Support to Small Business,' not Amazon

A Washington Post article about President Obama's visit Tuesday to an Amazon.com fulfillment center in Chatanooga, TN drew a sharp comment from Chapter2Books co-owner (and Hudson Patch blogger) Sue Roegge in Hudson. 

Roegge was responding to another commenter who wrote:

"I love browsing in book stores as much as anybody, but the independent booksellers need to understand that their business model is out-dated and simply not competitive with Amazon. They have to figure out how to compete in the internet age, and writing letters to the president complaining about Amazon shows that they have NOT figured this out yet. Good luck to them, but I doubt that things will turn around for them, especially if they continue wishing for the good old days to return."

Here is Roegge's response (which she also expanded on at the Chapter2Books Facebook page): 

"We have figured it out. We are not outdated. We are asking consumers to value a timeless business model, neighborhood stores, small business. To choose to support your community. We are complaining about him because he needs to show support to small business at a small business. This speech came on the heels of many predatory actions by Amazon. 

"I doubt things will turn around for us either if people like you don't start to realize that cheap isn't cheap. The "good old days" were good for a reason. We pay taxes in our community. We hand sell special books to gift givers. We hold story time, author events, bookclubs, bookfairs. We help parents of reluctant readers pick out a book. We give change for parking meters. We eat at the restaurants by our stores. We partner with other small businesses. We visit nursing homes to talk books. We connect teachers with authors who do school visits. 

"You like browsing book stores as much as anybody? You need to choose to like the bookstore , just like people in the old days did, and choose to value everything they do."

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