Seattle Bookfest begins in challenging business climate

In the past week, a price war has erupted on the Internet over popular new hardcover releases among Amazon.com, Wal-Mart and Target. Amazon declared the Kindle e-reader its best-selling item. And the owner of Elliott Bay Book Co. said the store might move from its longtime home in Pioneer Square partly because of financial difficulties.

So how are mom-and-pop booksellers holding up? It seemed an obvious question at this weekend's Seattle Bookfest, a new event in the Columbia City neighborhood.

"We're doing OK," said Robert Sindelar, managing partner of Third Place Books, which has stores in Lake Forest Park and Ravenna. "Everybody's favorite author has a new book coming out this fall, and that should help."

The festival, which continues today at the Columbia City Event Center (formerly the Columbia School), resurrects the old Northwest Bookfest, last held in 2003. It showcases 130 authors as well as 70 booksellers, publishers and book-related nonprofits.

Festival director Paul Doyle, who owns Columbia City Cinema, said about 1,800 came on Saturday.

"The local booksellers are gratified that people are filing through and looking, and people seem to be enjoying themselves," Doyle said.

Amazon, Walmart.com and Target.com recently began offering upcoming hardcover releases by the likes of Stephen King and Barbara Kingsolver for about $9, way below their respective list prices of $35 and $26.99. When Kingsolver makes an appearance at Third Place Books in Lake Forest Park next month, Sindelar said, he'll ask customers to pay full price for her new novel, "The Lacuna."

"That's what the book is worth in order for people involved in making it, including the author, to get paid," Sindelar said. "And we need to make a small profit, absolutely."

J.B. Dickey, owner of Seattle Mystery Bookshop in downtown Seattle, said things were tough last year, "but we had a fabulous summer, and the fall is strong so far." His shop benefits from loyal customers who appreciate its frequent author appearances and knowledgeable staff, Dickey said.

"A lot of people don't want to deal with a big corporation," he said. "It's a political thing of wanting to support small, local businesses."

Renee Schurtz, 42, an editorial assistant at Seattle Magazine, left the festival Saturday with a paperback titled "Hit Me with Your Pet Shark," about misheard music lyrics. She said she missed the old Northwest Bookfest and was happy Seattle has another gathering for readers.

"It's a great thing to do — get ready for winter hibernation," she said. "You get the feel and smell of books, and then the whole book culture. I like to come and see all the local authors."

Amy Martinez: 206-464-2923 or amartinez@seattletimes.com