By Zoe Perzo
The Bookloft has a long history in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. Founded in 1974, 2024 is The Bookloft’s fiftieth year of operation. I met with the current owner, Giovanni Boivin, to learn more about the store’s rich history, the challenges they're facing, and the plans for the future.
“Eric Wilska opened The Bookloft on Mother’s Day weekend in 1974,” Boivin told me. “It was in [its original location] for about 46 years, and he was even able to expand the store.”
When Wilska retired in 2016, he sold the store to Pamela Pescosolido, who led the store through several challenges during her six years at the helm. She oversaw the purchase and renovation of a new building, as well as the ensuing move. And of course, the 2020 Covid shutdown.
Boivin recalled the chaos of the back-to-back move and Covid, “Ironically, 2020 was a great year for us. People were just so sick of being stuck inside. They’d buy books, they’d buy games and puzzles, anything to change it up from the last few months.”
Initially, Boivin told me, Pescosolido placed him and two other colleagues in her will, planning for them to inherit the business after her death. But in October 2022 she reconsidered that plan.
“She approached me and said, ‘You know what, I don’t want to wait until I die to pass this off. My son’s getting married. I want to be closer to my family. Do you want to buy The Bookloft from me?’ ”
Boivin was Pescosolido’s longest standing hire. He came on board shortly after she took over the store in 2016, so it seemed fitting that he be the next owner.
Prior to bookselling, Boivin worked in retail and in nonprofits.
“I had always been a passionate reader. I started in nonprofit work for local organizations. But I hit burnout, because nonprofits are a lot of work, low pay, and high stress. On a whim, I reached out to The Bookloft to see if they were hiring. And they were!”
He admitted taking over a store with such a long history comes with a bit of pressure to succeed, but he’s up for the challenge.
“It’s a steep learning curve, but I’m learning quickly,” Boivin said. “We’ve been the local bookstore for as long as some of our customers have been alive. Some of them came in as kids or used to work here in high school, and now they’re bringing their kids and their grandkids here!”
The Bookloft is also full of personal touches that give it heart and set it apart.
“We have our dog blog, of course,” Boivin said, describing the webpage where they post a picture of every dog that comes in the shop (they also post on Instagram).
“There’s definitely an artistic flair here,” he told me. “We have handmade signs and things like that, created by past and current staff. And every indie bookstore has staff picks, but we have typewriters we use and little plastic placards.”
They’ve also leaned into the games community, and have expanded their selection of games for kids and adults. They now carry Warhammer miniatures, Dungeons and Dragons material, and dice.
Boivin says he hopes to see the store thrive. “I’d love to see it continue on for another 50 years.”
To meet that goal, he recently launched a GoFundMe campaign.
He explained that the economy and a delayed return of the region’s seasonal homeowners has caused an unnatural dip in sales these past few months.
“We saw a drastic dip in sales post-holiday, more so than just the post-holiday low,” he said. “Usually things pick up around April, as the flowers come out with the snow starts to melt.”
That has not been the case this year, and the closure of another long standing local shop was another cause for concern.
Boivin hopes the GoFundMe will give the store a bit of a safety net.
“Of course, the best way to support us is by purchasing your books, cards, and games from us directly,” he said. “It’s so important to support local and independent businesses. We are your neighbors, your family, your friends, we are a part of your community. Supporting us means you're not funneling more money into big box stores or Amazon.”
Whether the GoFundMe reaches the goal amount, it’s already attracted a significant amount of attention.
“An article ran in the local paper, and author Dennis Lehane reached out to us and would like to do an event with us in late August. He said he has some Massachusetts-based author friends he’d like to invite!”
Keep an eye on The Bookloft for more details on that event, but Lehane isn’t the only big visitor the store has coming up…
“Alaina Urquhart-White, co-host of the podcast, Morbid, and author of The Butcher and the Wren, wrote a second book called The Butcher Game. And she based it here in the Southern Berkshires, so that’s wicked cool!” Boivin exclaimed. “She’s turned my little hometown into a hunting ground in her novel. And we’re hosting her on September 22!”
To learn more about these events, visit The Bookloft online or in person! You can also follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. If you’re not in the Massachusetts area but want to support the store, you can check out their GoFundMe or purchase books on their website!