The common narrative when it comes to the physical book and the shops that sell them is that interest in the paper form is waning, losing the battle to the dominance of digital devices. That mainstream train of thought didn’t deter Kim Koch and Rod Clarke, both veteran booksellers of many years, from opening The Paper Hound on the edge of Vancouver’s Gastown. And, somewhat to their surprise, it’s been younger customers and the so-called digital natives who comprise much of their regular clientele.
“To be honest with you, we weren’t really expecting that young people would be interested in the literature or in physical books we stock, but we see a real appetite among our younger clientele to read the classics on paper,” notes Kim. “I’m not sure if it’s a desire for the nostalgia of the printed format or simply the experience tied to those writings in particular.”
