TOGETHER independent: do you read me?!
Illustration: do you read me?!
9 Questions to Laura, Charlotte, Josey and Mark from do you read me?!
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“do you read me?! is definitely not the usual kind of book or magazine store. It is packed until the ceiling with a fine selection of weird, wonderful and unusual titles. The thoughts and ways of visual expression you can find here are exceptional.” In our latest ALMOST interview we are talking to Laura, Charlotte, Josey and Mark - the team behind Berlins most charming indiemag store called do you read me?!.
Who are you and what is do you read me?! about?
Laura: I am one of these persons who can’t get enough of everything made out of paper. So perhaps it is kind of a natural law that I’ve ended up working at do you read me?! after I’ve finished my Master in Media- and Film Studies. For me personally it is such a great space where you meet like-minded print addicts. Although, working there doesn’t help to keep my bookshelves at bay…
Josey: I’ve been working in bookshops on and off for about ten years - with breaks to study - and when I relocated from London to Berlin and was looking for a job, this was the first place I got in touch with.
Charlotte: I am an employee and at the same time one of their most dedicated customers. do you read me?! is definitely not the usual kind of book or magazine store. It is packed until the ceiling with a fine selection of weird, wonderful and unusual titles. The thoughts and ways of visual expression you can find here are exceptional. I am mostly taking care of the social media channels while I also work as a product designer creating unique pieces of furniture and home accessories.
How did you come up with the idea to start your own business?
Mark: I’m Mark, one of the two founders of do you read me?! and the one that actually had the idea for both, to open a shop that’s all about printed matter with a clear focus on zines, magazines and periodicals, and the name itself. I have a background in design, had my own studio since 2000 here in Berlin and was simply convinced that lots of creative people are in need of a place like this – just like myself.
What role does your community play for do you read me?! and your day to day work?
Josey: I work in the shop, four days a week, so I get to hang out with our amazing community of readers and browsers all the time! So the best bit is welcoming people to the store, talking to them about our titles, and helping them find what they’re looking for.
Charlotte: The online community is what drives me. I know that there can be some drawbacks to the whole social media thing, but it's also really a great tool to get in touch with people and communicate the fantastic selection we have.
Have you ever been employed in a big company or similarly?
Mark: I’ve been working in a big advertising agency as an intern and then freelancer. After my design studies I was offered a leading position in a media company right after my diploma, but I am just not good in being told what to do or what not, especially when I think that there might be a better way or idea or … So I opted for freedom.
Josey: In London I worked for a large chain bookstore for a while, which I didn’t enjoy an awful lot - it was more about the profit margins than the books. After that I spent two years at the Tate Modern, which is definitely the biggest organization I’ve ever worked for, but it’s also a registered charity and a national museum, which was very cool to be a part of.
How does it feel to work independently?
Laura: The thing I am really grateful of is that you automatically get to know all job related areas. You kind of have to adopt quickly being part of such a small team. And frankly, if you need a break from one thing, there are always plenty of other duties that have to be done by someone...
Foto: do you read me?!
What does a typical work day look like for you?
Laura: We always catch up before work to talk about things which have to be done, and update each other on current work processes. Afterwards I am getting online orders ready to be shipped and answering emails, writing texts, reviews and interviews, bringing books and magazines up to our in-house warehouse (which is basically a room in our office which tends to grow in all directions) or down into the shop again. It is absurd how much book traffic is actually happening…
Josey: I am welcoming people in, recommending books, unpacking deliveries, inputting new titles into our computer system, tweaking and changing our window display and magazine walls – I personally can spend a lot of time agonising over the perfect place to display a particular book – organising the bookshelves, answering emails and phone calls, making reservations, researching new titles, and writing the occasional review for our website.
What are you especially proud of?
Mark: That the store surprises and inspires people and myself still, after all those years, and yes, that the team behind is becoming more and more a real part of it.
What does independence mean to you?
Mark: Being able to say no, but taking full responsibility for saying yes.
Charlotte: Being able to work under your own rules. That does not make it easier, but you can stay true to yourself.
Josey: It means doing work that’s meaningful, and being part of a network of other independent ventures that all support each other.
Laura: To stay creative, pushing the borders of what print can mean these days. It is so good to know that print will never be dead!
What other inspiring independent label can you recommend?
Mark: artwords bookshop in London, ofr in Paris, Pro QM in Berlin, Motto in Berlin, IDEA in London, Dashwood in New York.
Thank you for the interview!
And thank you to our friends from Change Journal for sponsoring this interview. Change Journal is a journal with 24 tips, tricks and methods for a more productive, mindful and easygoing life. Check out our interview with Change Journal-founder Tim Jaudszims here.