In 2020, I conducted a case study that revolved around Amazon, its unethical business practices, and how those business practices adversely affect small businesses: specifically, independent bookstores. Inspired by my many years working at a small bookstore on Haight Street in San Francisco, I wanted my audience to know that our independent bookstores are essential to the long-term health of our communities, and that Amazon doesn't just compete with independent bookstores, but arrogantly seeks to destroy them. Through my in-depth research, my aim was to communicate this through hard data, testimonials, and economic trends, and to let the information better inform the shopping decisions for local consumers.
My ultimate goal was to emphasize the value of community and to encourage locals to participate in a broader movement to shop locally, and to tell a story that presents a framework around the importance of independent bookstores as cultural institutions that are essential to the community.
My deep-rooted passion and appreciation for my occupation as a bookseller was integral to my design process.
