Woozles offers free book delivery in Halifax area

An independent Halifax bookstore is offering free delivery in a bid to offset the lure of online shopping.

Woozles, which says it's Canada’s oldest children's bookstore, starts the free delivery Wednesday.

"It will be between the hours of seven and nine on Wednesday evenings anywhere within the HRM. It will be a free service available to anyone who makes a purchase," said founder Lisa Doucet.

Doucet sees delivery as a natural extension of what the store now offers.

"Occasionally, we do hear comments from people about the fact that they would love to get in here more often, but that it’s hard for them to get downtown," she said.

"This felt like something that we could try that would help in a case like that."

Personal relationship key for booksellers

Digital books and online sales have hit traditional bookstores hard, with stores closing across Canada and the United States. 

Mike Hamm of Halifax's Bookmark has seen it for himself.

"The e-book revolution, online ordering and deep discounting and the fact that you can buy books — at least the ones in the media — you can buy them just about anywhere," he said.

But he has a loyal customer base who rely on Bookmark to find local or unusual books.

Doucet also believes that continuing to engage with her customers on a personal level is the best way forward.

"We have always had a really strong rapport with our customers and a very personal relationship," she said.

"The customers know that when they come in, they can rely on us to make very personal suggestions for the readers in their lives."

Doucet hopes the new delivery service will ensure Woozles has another generation of book lovers buying locally.