In an economic climate where many small businesses and large book companies are going to the wall, a Kingscliff bookshop is fighting back with a bit of help from other businesses and the local community.
Boardwalk Books held a book-signing and lunch for former Prime Minister John Howard at Babalou Restaurant on Tuesday afternoon. The event, which Boardwalk owner Debbie Allen hopes to be the first of many, attracted 160 people and a large media contingent.
“Deb and I were talking about how you could keep book stores alive (in the current climate),” Kylie Mitchell Smith of Babalou Restaurant said of the genesis of the event.
“We decided to see what great authors we could get and we went straight to the top.”
John Howard’s Lazarus Rising is considered the most successful political biography in Australian history and a revised version, which now includes the events of last year, has just been released in paperback.
“We are certainly looking to have more events like this,” Ms Allen said, declaring the day a “great success” as she watched on as Mr Howard signed many of the more than 80 books sold on the day.
“The book industry has been getting a bad rap in recent times, with the demise of the Redgroup and the rise of E books and the internet.”
She said the number of bookstores was dwindling across Australia but it was important to keep local book stores, authors and the Australian book industry going strong.
Ms Allen added that events like the Howard book signing and launch were important for promoting the industry at large.
But as well as being good for the book industry, Ms Allen said this was important for the local community.
“Kingscliff has been in the media a lot lately, due to the erosion of the local beach,” she said.
“It is great to be able to bring something positive to Kingscliff, to attract positive attention to our town.
“It is all about local businesses working together and working with the local community to promote this fantastic area.
“Hopefully this will be the first of many.”
Mr Howard proved a big hit with the crowd, outlining the book and then accepting questions from the floor on everything from Julia Gillard and Carbon Tax to September 11 and whether the Australian cricket team will once again become the powerhouse of the test cricket world.
He said he had travelled around Australia promoting his book, which he “wrote myself – there were no ghosts involved”, He wished Ms Allen and her staff at Boardwalk Books well.
“It is a tough time for book stores,” he said.
“I will do anything I can to help the industry.”
