Experience with backandforth, open close, up and down its been happening with i think everybody across the country. We take a little step forward and then we have to back up a little bit. I think that is the mode of the day as they would say. And so, when we shut down we moved online right away to online sales. It took a little while for that to happen. So we quickly moved ourselves to online sales and began to sell through the online websites. In addition to that, we also have added an terms of people have added the phone calls, the emails, the instagram, and facebook requests as well. That was really a big surprise for us. And allison has really managed all of the online sales. Which means that we are sending out books from the store, directly to people. Then we kind of move toward having people pick up at the door. Because the governor did lift some of our restrictions. And allowed for curbside, we called door pickup because our curb is pulling bicycles, cars and people so we dont want to have anything out on the curb. So we called door pickup. So with that we are able to take people by way of their credit card or if they wish to pick up from the online sales, we do that. So its really because a different kind of complication in the way we do business. And its exciting because were learning something every day. So thats kind of the its happening in between. Sue and that is your daughter the coowner allison what has been your experience since we talked to last in may . Well we have been very grateful that publishers have offered us a few Virtual Events prayed and also just participation, being booksellers for Virtual Events. So that has really helped our sales. Spit it right, the American Booksellers Association and our Regional Association great lakes independent Book Association has had regular zoom meetings or activities were all of us talk to each other across the squares as we say. And we are finding that many of us are experiencing the same things even though it may vary a little bit from store to store and from place to place. And that has been very helpful. And i think very encouraging. And enlightening for all of us. Even though we have been separated by distance, we have really connected to each other through the work we do, through the ideas we have into the customers that we share. And so, im just so grateful for aba in the great lakes Book Association. Host have you been able to reopen your door check . Guest we did and then we didnt we did and that we didnt. We havent had them wide open to the public because i am scared. I am a little afraid. But we have come to is a progress of the summer is that i knew we have many people coming up from the south from the southern part of the United States during this time of year. This is all because of climate and because of family over the years, people have often come to detroit for family reunions and all of that. So i felt really uncomfortable about being too open. Hanauer find there are some upticks in cases in michigan as well. Not to the degree is in the south. But i thought we will just have to have short pickup hours on the weekend. And kind of keep our doors closed. People come to pick up would you welcome them to come browse around if they like. They are very good about that. We have our masks and sanitation station right at the door. We are really learning as we go, taking the baby steps. Im looking to see how the store responds and how our customers respond. Host now janet and allison we talked to glass on may 5. That was prior to the killing of george floyd in minneapolis. How did that as a black owned business, how did that affect you . It affected us in two ways. We have a lot of compassion for the family, and for the our community in particular that resist Police Brutality and police violence. So when the marchers came by our store we cheered them on. And we also, i think in all the ways that we could offer information to those who are interested in learning about prison abolition, the role of the police, and just all of those issues. Guest right, we also were able to benefit really from the fact that we have primarily a Nonfiction Book store. And we have had copies of all of the books that it got very popular all the sudden. And so we were able to sell quite a few books to people. People call and assisting we actually had some of the books that were taking on such a life of their own after that happene happened. We also come as i said we had contact with her booksellers. So they were going out to the bookstore there in minneapolis. That kind of community, sensitivity has come not only to us right here in detroit but also across the country. Sue would have you worried you might have to close down at all, janet . Guest i dont even go there. [laughter] i really dont. When it first happened i knew instinctively we would not close. And the instinct told me that will if you close you have to work hard to reopen. So i did not want to do that. Unfortunately we were positioned wellin the community as well as in the business side to create an online business. Which has really carried us. In addition to it we are also part of the Neighborhood Organization called midtown detroit ink. They really help us find grants and funds to help us get our legs getting up again. It was a shock initially. Guest did you mean close because of fear of our building . C1 no, no, no, because of the coated pandemic. Guest just starting in march us when the pandemic was at its worst here, all retail was right so we didnt have a choice. We had been kind of teetering with the reopening part for our doors. But yeah we had to close with everyone else. Guest and now i think whats happened is the online sales, the phone calls which we get all the time from our wonderful customers, and people that we dont know they hear about us in one way or another. I have to say there has been quite an uptick in interest in books by black authors or books about the whole issue of race and racism in the country. We just got the wonderful new book today by isabel wilkerson. This idea is really coming into fruition the people are wanting to know why did we learn this in school . Why didnt i know it . A lot of us did note. And then thats cause us to pause, to wait a minute to think and to begin to respond in new and different ways. So we didnt consider closing in that way but we have changed a great deal in terms of how we do business and how the Business Needs to be done during this time. Host as a Small Business to do except any stimulus guns from the federal government that was offered to the from the Small Business administration . Guest we toyed with it for a minute but we never got my arms arm of the use of the ppp protection plan. So i tried a couple of times but i really didnt get through. Finally came to me and said this really isnt for us in the meantime, so i kind of backed away from it we did not go forward with it. I started a couple applications they got bungled up so i just took it thats a sign this not for me right now. But what did happened is a local Organization Tech town was offering some money in the early days in which they gave to us which was really wonderful. It helped us get steady for a minute. Them he had other grant or two or three on Economic Development had another grant so that really helped us out to kinda give a steady. And now, i dont this to be real, college we did get some money from her charitable organization, i was able to give back some because i know we have been able to move along pretty well for now. I dont know how long we will last, i dont know if this on line tray will be something people do for a long time, but for the moment we were able to give back some of that. So i felt good about that because i know there are other stores struggling in a different way. Host Allison Jones turner what have you learned about Online Retail . And you have even shipping across the u. S. . Guest yes. Yes. We have been blessed with orders from all over the country. And having to learn about shipping and handling and even some canadian sales because we are very close together. Actually candice south of us in detroit. [laughter] right, i really learned a lot and i depend so much on allison because shes really quick with this. And she understands the systems very well. Im getting a little bit better at it. But really has made a big difference into how we do business with people. Somebody said to me, i had an opportunity to have several radio and television interviews. One of the reports, janet likes to talk to people to store and now shes transferred to the phone. [laughter] so im the phone answer or from the upfront line one person to answer the phone and begin to take in those kinds of orders. So i feel like i try to be as considerate about people who are on the phone. Many times they are rushing and sometimes they feel very frightful and afraid. This gives me a chance to kind of calm them down and say what will this book too. Lets see if we can find this book for you. Will call you back. Done a lot of Community Work really by telephone. Stewart will come as you know, Janet Webster jones ive met you a few times and i have never known you to be shy. [laughter] that was my younger years. We want if people are interested in contacting you, whats the best way . Guest the best way is unsourced booksellers. Com. You can communicate with us. To our email, or if youre looking to purchase a book for booksellers online. In our social media, we are booksellers on facebook an instagram and on twitter we are. [inaudible] s went alright will put up the source booksellers are, let people go from there. Janet Webster Jones when did you open your store . Guest we began in november of 1988. But i count the year is 1989. So we have been in business 30 plus years now. And we have had several different ways of doing busines business. This one has made a fourth way of doing business of the book industry. We started this vendors going to her people had events and then we are in the collective of women owned businesses that share to space and then we came here to brick and mortar and now we are in the online business. [laughter] its fun for me to it make these changes and its challenging to grow a new and different ways, i appreciate it. Host mother and daughter owners of source booksellers Janet Webster jones and Allison Jones turner. We appreciate the update and well talk soon a few months if we have to. Guest thank you. Byebye. So here are some of the current bestselling Nonfiction Books according to Publishers Weekly. Topping the list is President Trump sinise mary trumps critical look at the president and the trump family in her book too much and never enough. After that in how to destroy america, in three easy steps author and put ago commentator ben shapiro talks about americans are being divided over our history. Followed by jeopardy host alex trebek memoir the answer is, that and how to be an antiracis antiracist, abram kennedy insists america must choose to be antiracist and work towards building a more equitable society. And ramping up our look at some of the best to Nonfiction Books according to Publishers Weekly is the room where it happens. Former National Security adviser john bolton looked back at his time with the trump administration. Most of these authors have appeared on book tv and you can watch them online booktv. Org. I am Dennis Johnson only vanilla to say about the lockdown or in a near city. This is about as far as im going to go for my apartment. But i do know my business is so close and so are a lot. Call on friends and try to find out how theyre doing and if they have any ideas