In this special holiday episode of Elena Meets the Author, I’m joined by Lisa Scully, the owner of the wonderful Locust Valley Bookstore on Long Island.
Lisa shares her journey into independent bookstore ownership and speaks openly about the challenges and rewards of running a local bookshop today. We talk about competing with Amazon, the importance of community support, and what keeps independent bookstores alive and thriving, especially during the Christmas season.
We also dive into the joy of bookselling. Lisa talks about how she curates her shelves, why book covers matter more than we sometimes admit, and how Instagram has become an essential way for her to connect with readers and share thoughtful, often unexpected recommendations. Along the way, she offers plenty of reading inspiration, including Christmas gift ideas, bestselling titles from the year, standout children’s books, and some personal favourites.
It’s a warm, funny, and uplifting conversation about books, community, and resilience, and a perfect listen for the holidays.
You can explore Locust Valley Bookstore and Lisa’s recommendations at
https://www.locustvalleybooks.com
You can also follow the bookstore on Instagram at
https://www.instagram.com/locustvalleybookstore
Episode chapters
00:00 Introduction
00:15 Special Christmas episode
00:32 Lisa Scully and Locust Valley Bookstore
03:16 Lisa’s journey to owning a bookstore
09:13 The challenges and triumphs of running a bookstore
15:06 Competing with Amazon
19:48 Instagram and modern bookselling
24:13 The importance of book covers
26:40 What makes Locust Valley Bookstore unique
27:28 Book recommendations
28:24 Christmas reading suggestions
29:36 Top-selling books of the year
36:27 Children’s books highlights
37:51 Favourite books of the year
39:37 The resilience of independent bookstores
🎧 Listen now wherever you get your podcasts.
