Erin Dalton - Huckleberry Books

I'd like to introduce Erin Dalton, owner of Huckleberry Books.

How has your daily operation been affected by the outbreak of Covid-19, and how have you adapted your business to keep moving forward?

Like many businesses, we closed to the public around March 20th, and operated from behind closed doors for over two months. I had to lay all my staff off, which was pretty much the hardest thing I've ever done. I ran the store mostly by myself (with some much-appreciated logistical support from my parents and my husband). Online orders, curbside pickup, local delivery, and shipping options - along with tremendous support from the community - allowed the store to weather the shutdown. We're fortunate to already have a well-developed webstore, enabling me to make that transition more easily than I expected. I spent a lot of time curating lists of recommendations, and playing personal shopper. It took a significant amount of energy, but I also found it so rewarding, as it allowed for a new level of personal connection with customers.

I was able to bring some staff back and re-open the doors in June, though we remain on a reduced schedule for now. It's wonderful to have customers in the store again! Quick curbside chats while handing off orders were lovely, but no substitute for having people in the space, even if it is from a distance and behind a mask. Even so, it doesn't feel quite the same. I've always felt that a bookstore should be a hub, a gathering place. We just can't do that in the way that we're used to, at least not for the time being. I miss that a lot. We're going to have such a party when it's safe to do events again!

In the meantime, we're still regularly seeing online orders, which is great. One silver lining of the shutdown was having more people become aware of the webstore, and I hope that carries on. Since we re-opened, I've been focusing on digital marketing and fine-tuning our website. If we do have to deal with another shutdown, we'll be better prepared. If we don't (fingers crossed!) it's just one more way for us to serve the community.

The largest impact, though, comes from thecontinuing uncertainty. (I expect that's true for almost everyone.) How do I plan for the next month or the next season, when we have no idea when/if there might be another shutdown? What happens if someone here gets sick? Etc etc. I'm learning to build all kinds of contingencies into our operations, with a little more patience and a lot of self-care. Instead of just feeling stuck, we can be adapatable and forward-looking. It's certainly an ongoing lesson in flexibility!

What positive or uplifting things have you seen or experienced during the pandemic situation?

So many things! So many small (and not-so-small) acts of kindness. The generous support we and other businesses continue to receive is humbling. There was an obvious extra boost of "recycling" local dollars while we were shut down; I know I ordered a lot of delivery lunches to feed myself while I placed book orders for other business owners and their staff. I've made connections on a new level with other businesses, and we continue to share ideas, support, and mutual cheerleading. I've seen a noticeable ramping up of genuine, intentional efforts by many people to support the community, whether it be shopping locally, participating in the birthday parades, helping people in need, or anonymous gestures like paying for someone else's coffee. The painted rocks popping up everywhere - the day I came into work to find one on the doorstep was absolutely a highlight. The rock moves around the store, and it makes me smile every single time I see it. Customers asking us to put together care packages for birthdays or friends having a hard time: it means a lot to me that people entrust that to us. I've noticed a tendency toward more authentic interactions and conversations in general.

It's also been heartening to see that, despite a measure of social isolation, people are still engaging with the world at large. I've seen a huge upswelling of interest in stories by BIPOC and LGBTQ+ authors. We've had important conversations with customers about racism, Indigenous issues, and the LGBTQ+ community. What's really inspiring is that the books folks are looking for are, yes, to educate themselves about current issues and uncomfortable histories - and they're also looking for fiction by and about diverse people. Readers are seeking out stories that normalize diversity, separately from specifically issues-based reads. It's been a great (and eye-opening) opportunity for me to deliberately seek out stories by a wide array of authors. The fact that there's an appetite for those stories, especially in the middle of a pandemic, makes me (cautiously) hopeful.

Above all, I'm extra-glad that I live in Cranbrook right now. I'd rather be in the East Kootenay than anywhere else, especially while dealing with COVID.

Have you been doing anything in particular to create some joy or find happiness through all of this?

I try to keep gratitude front & centre: my people are all well, our community has been very lucky so far, the store is still a going concern, and it's been a mild fire season to date. I've jumped on the sourdough bandwagon - I find it satisfying on a number of levels. Saying hello to my tomato babies every morning is a joy. We've adopted a new kitten: best (if pointiest) morale booster ever! Hanging laundry on my new laundry deck (built by my husband while he was off work) and smelling the sunshine on the towels when I take them down. Finding new ways to connect with people, and appreciating the resilience and creativity that come along with that: kitchen concerts, chat groups, online author events. (Can you imagine trying to navigate this without the internet?!) Finding ways to incorporate playfulness & whimsy into my days at the bookstore, and to share that with others: puns on the sandwich board, silly cat pictures, putting fun displays together. And I've been reading kids' books almost exclusively, something I highly recommend for stressful times. There is nothing quite like a butt-kicking 12-year-old with magical powers saving the world to restore your faith in everything. Or at least, to give your brain a few hours' vacation from a pandemic.

Is there anything else you’d like to share, or wish people were aware of right now?

Listen to the science. Keep in mind that everybody's having a hard time, and be patient - with yourself as well as others. When you go into a business and they have certain protocols in place, it's not to inconvenience you (believe me, it's not convenient for us, either!); it's what we have to do to keep our community safe. Bring your own mask with you: disposable masks are expensive, and any business open right now has already had to incur signficant expenses to operate during COVID. That's one small way you can help. To the majority of people who are being considerate and looking out for each other: thank you! Wash your hands. Be kind, be safe, and be excellent to each other.