When I first started to go to Chapters, there was no Starbucks. It was simply a bookstore--albeit one that I could easily wander around in for hours. Since then, the store has made a drastic change. They’ve added a coffee shop, as well as a number of departments that cater to an entire lifestyle. There is currently a Starbucks location in every Chapters and Indigo location, which invites customers to spend more time in the store itself. Sitting on a comfortable seat and sinking into a book makes shoppers feel at home, especially in the quiet atmosphere.
Chapters/Indigo has also transformed their kids’ section. Previous to the change, this area generally looked like the rest of the store. Now, it’s bright, colourful, and significantly different from the rest of the store which is covered in soft, calming colours. The store has added a plethora of toys, games, plushies, and even tables covered with activities to entertain kids while they are in the store. Saturday morning is story time, and on most summer weekends they hold a free craft day where kids can spend a couple of hours in the store and take home whatever they make.
By expanding their children’s section to much more than only books, they’ve made the space welcoming to all kinds of children. To some, that may mean the section is doing less to promote children’s literacy. However, as I took a look around the store, I realized that everything promoted some sort of learning, whether it was in the form of kinesthetic activities or puzzle books.
Perhaps the biggest change in the store for many shoppers has been the addition of the Paper and Home & Style sections. As you walk into Indigo, your line of sight is filled with beautiful purses, gloves, and home spa items. To illustrate, towards the left of the South Common Indigo location is a section filled with a huge amount of paper goods. The addition of these sections helped Indigo become a lifestyle store rather than just a bookstore. After spending a significant amount of time browsing for a book, it is incredibly easy to get lost in these areas, finding yourself wanting much more than your bank account would allow. At least, that is my situation whenever I walk in!
These changes, though gradual, meant that the intentions of Indigo’s shoppers would change as well. Since Indigo was no longer simply a bookstore, their shoppers would no longer come for the sole reason of buying books. As I spoke to the manager of the South Common Indigo location, she revealed that CEO Heather Reisman’s goal for the store was to become a “cultural department store.” I thought the phrase was perfect for describing Indigo. I realized that with the introduction of new items, shoppers might not be everyday readers at all. However, Reisman was determined to keep the bookstore feel intact. The manager revealed that Reisman wanted this to be a place that book lovers could visit and find things that suit not just their literary tastes but also their lifestyles. The store was intended to be filled with unique items that could not be found anywhere else. In this regard, Reisman definitely succeeded. I love all the things that Indigo has to offer, but it did not occur to me that most of these things could not be bought anywhere else. As I spoke to the manager, she explained that many of the items on sale were carefully curated from obscure companies. Indigo had made a considerable effort to provide things that were distinct to Indigo. She also told me that these changes to the store have been in the works for fifteen years, since Indigo took over Chapters in 2001.
One of the goals for my interview was to find out how Indigo shoppers behaved in the store. I was interested in this because a visit to Indigo is a solitary experience for me. In high school, I would regularly ask my dad to drop me off [at a Chapters/Indigo location] so I could spend an hour or two wandering around. That has not changed. Though I don’t get there as often as I would like, walking around Indigo with a hot coffee and no time limit is one of my favorite forms of relaxation. A couple classmates of mine mentioned they could only go into Chapters when they already had a book in mind, as they found the store overwhelming. It’s quite the opposite for me; I find the atmosphere calming.
I spoke to the manager about customers and their interaction in the store. My first question was whether people in the store were usually alone or with people. She said that generally it was an equal mix of customers who come by themselves or with others. She mentioned that there are people like me who love to wander around, while others who find the store a wonderful place to meet with friends and connect with others. I was surprised to hear her say that the Starbucks located inside their store had quite a few regulars who would spend a couple of solitary hours at one of the tables. I was aware that every Starbucks would have regulars, but did not expect there to be regulars at a location that was deep inside of another store. She told me an anecdote about a couple that had met online and agreed to meet at Indigo and pick out a book for them to read together. Recently, they got married in the Chapters where they first met--in the stacks of books.
Most of Indigo’s images of reading involve someone in a beautiful, serene space, cuddled up into a blanket with a steaming mug of coffee or tea nearby. I was very curious to get the manager’s perspective on this. I wanted to know whether Indigo had capitalized on this idea or created the idea itself. She was quick to say that Indigo had created and fueled the idea. Staying home with a book was not always the most glamorous thing to do. However, by including items in the store like candles, blankets, pajamas, and even a variety of snacks and teas, they have made staying at home with a good book a beautiful, enviable experience. As you walk into the store for a book, it is incredibly easy to imagine yourself with a facemask on, sipping your favorite tea, and curled on the couch with your favorite blanket. The manager put it well, saying that with all of these transformations, the store has made it okay to spend the day at home with a book.
Prior to this report, all I knew about Indigo and Chapters was that I loved it. I loved every part of it. However, conducting research has opened my eyes and forced me to consider the entity that that store has become. Speaking to the manager, I found a kinship in discussing my love of books with her as I got the feeling that she felt the exact same way. I realized that there are so many people who have a relationship to this store. I have been going there for years and it has become a constant in the various phases that life has taken me through. I also realized that I have succumbed to a romantic idea of reading that is perpetuated by Indigo. I love the idea of curling up with a book and a coffee and it is still one of my favorite things to do. Whether it was the store that fueled this, I am not entirely sure. One of my favorite moments of the interview was when the manager pointed out that to book lovers, this store was dangerous. I could not help but agree as I thought of the many times I had depleted the contents of my bank account in this one store.
