Annie B. Jones, owner of The Bookshelf in Thomasville, GA and host of From the Front Porch, joins Carrie on The Localist this week to dive into how they are reacting to the pandemic, and how they’re handling the upcoming holiday season. Annie was fortunate that The Bookshelf already had a strong online presence before the pandemic hit, but she describes how they completely pivoted to virtual events, and how those events have evolved based on logistics. Annie and Carrie talk about juggling different aspects of owning a business, showing up on social media in an authentic way, and how you really need to know your own limits (and those of your staff!). Annie then tells us all about the subscription boxes they offer, and the journey it took to figure out shipping and branding. Annie and Carrie wrap up with the value in over-communicating, the seasonal offerings from The Bookshelf, and how you can support The Bookshelf — even through audiobooks.

Mentioned is this episode: 

The Bookshelf

The Bookshelf on Instagram 

Annie B. Jones on Instagram

From the Front Porch Podcast

From the Front Porch Ep. 281 

Church Street Coffee and Books 

Enneagram Information 

Myers Briggs Information 

Politics and Prose 

Libro.fm 

Kobo eReaders

Polar Express Storytime 

New York Times Article on Independent Bookstore Owners