It's a tale that's become familiar. A small independent business -- faced with online and big box competition -- struggles to stay afloat. But that's not the whole story of St. Paul's Ruminator Books. The independent bookseller has shrunk its inventory and laid off half its staff in the past couple of years, and authors from across the country are rallying to the store's aid by contributing items for an upcoming online auction. David Unowsky has owned the bookstore for 33 years. He says competition from the national chains has been a factor, but not the only reason the Ruminator is in dire straits.

This file was digitized with the help of a grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC).