…in response to business opportunity presented by pandemic

IN the earlier days of the pandemic, while I was holed up in my ‘dorm room’ in Trinidad, Netflix became my best friend. I’ve always devoted much (too much, in fact) of my free time to the Online streaming platform, and I suppose, with nothing better to do (What Online classes?), I found comfort in binge-watching Brooklyn Nine-Nine.

But then, I became saturated. Shows weren’t appealing or captivating any longer, as the extended pandemic quandary made binge-watching mundane. Before long, I felt the urge to read a book; something that I hadn’t done since my secondary school days. Well, aside from textbooks.

I signed up with a public library that was a 20-minute walk away from my campus. My first book was the Kite Runner by Afghan-American author, Khaled Hosseini. I remember not wanting to put the book down; not only because it was a vivid, gripping novel, but also because the act of reading provided some comfort and distraction amidst what was going on.

In May last year, the Guardian reported that a survey of 1,000 persons showed that the amount of time people spent with books had increased by 41 per cent. There aren’t local statistics to validate my sentiments, but I believe that the pandemic has encouraged more persons to read. One Online, Instagram (IG)-based bookstore called, ‘the Book Cub’, (not ‘club’, though that’s a common mistake) has been able to hook local bookworms.

Lakanand Singh, one of the co-owners of the small business, told the Guyana Chronicle that it got started in August 2020, after his sister and co-owner, Shivanie Singh, came up with the idea. Growing up, the siblings were avid readers; a majority of the presents they received were books, and they couldn’t be happier. Shivanie eventually started an Instagram page, where she gave short reviews of the books she’d read. That book review page, called ‘The Book Cub’, eventually transformed into the Online bookstore.

“I didn’t plan for it to be a legitimate business; it was just something to pass the time. But we soon realised that there was no way this was going to be just a pastime or hobby, because we were so overwhelmed by the response,” Lakanand said. As the support received by the Book Cub would show, many persons were yearning for books they could hold and immerse themselves into. And what made it all the more attractive was that the siblings offered delivery services, and nicely-wrapped books with warm messages; things that would be appreciated in this pandemic season.

Entering into the book vending business meant that the siblings had to figure out what books would be most appealing to the Instagram population. They didn’t conduct a survey before ordering the books, but instead, they curated a list that encompassed their own favourites; a few ‘trendy’ books, and some of those that made their way onto the big-screen (or small-phone screens).

“Once we had that (first shipment) down, based on the reception, we could alter what we were ordering,” Lakanand explained, adding, “We’ve gotten to a point where we’re comfortable predicting what they would like to read, but we do take suggestions into consideration.”

He also explained that while the classics; the Harry Potter collections, the Dan Browns, inter alia, will always sell, they also try to stock some of the current literary works being published. And it wasn’t just that the siblings were able to stock those books that persons were interested in reading; the bookstore owner is convinced that the liberty of imagination books offers a much-needed distraction while navigating the pandemic.

“With the revolution of streaming, books have somehow taken the back bench, especially since Netflix. But the pandemic has shown that books are not going anywhere,” Lakanand posited. He contended that customers were excited to have something different to do. In addition to the respite reading offers, he also highlighted that self-help books are among those in great demand.

‘Think like a Monk’ by Jay Shetty; ‘Rich Dad Poor Dad’ by Robert Kiyosaki and Sharon Lechter; ‘You are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life’ by Jen Sincero, were some of the self-help books that were in demand.

Lakanand reasoned that persons seemed interested in preparing themselves to tackle life whenever the pandemic subsided, or ceased altogether. And those self-help books were a way of doing just that. Aside from all of the support received, no good business is without its challenges. With Shivanie working in Trinidad, it requires keen time management on her brother’s part to contend with the business demand.

He juggles the business, his studies, and a full-time job as a radio announcer. But that pales in comparison to the challenge of shipping during the pandemic Christmas season. Nowadays, the owners are trying to find that ‘sweet spot’ between growing at an exponential rate, and also being able to comfortably manage the business alongside their hectic lives. “We got this!” Lakanand half-joked. The Book Cub can be contacted via their Instagram page: @the.book.cub