On this chilly Cyber Monday, independent, brick-and-mortar bookstores are fighting back against the online shopping trend with free cups of hot apple cider.
“We can promise no crashing websites, our ‘servers’ won’t be overloaded and we bet they will even smile at you,” announced Toadstool Bookshops of New Hampshire, where the lighthearted celebration started last year. Since then, it’s grown throughout New England, and at least one Bay Area bookseller has joined in.
The idea is to promote local shopping and local jobs instead of sending holiday dollars to far-flung companies, especially the Amazon behemoth.
“Put down the mouse and shop near your house!” wrote Bank Square Books of Mystic, Connecticut.
Locally, the new Books Inc. in the also-new Santa Clara Square complex is offering free hot cider all day long. The store is open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Details: www.booksinc.net.
