How the Coronavirus Is Impacting Bookstores

“Every bookstore is on the front lines trying to advocate for books every single day. We can’t afford to lose them.” In times like these, when we’re all searching for an escape, one of the best ways to do so is through books. But the fallout from COVID-19 has hit the publishing industry hard, forcing many booksellers to close their doors with uncertainty on when they’ll reopen. NBC LX Storyteller Ngozi Ekeledo talked to Books Are Magic owner and author Emma Straub about the ripple effect COVID-19 is having on bookstores and how online platforms like Andy Hunter’s Bookshop are helping keep local booksellers in business.