Palak JayswalA popular Utah indie bookstore is listening to its customers.
On Friday, The King’s English Bookshop announced it would cancel a promotion for Utah Gov. Spencer Cox’s new book in response to a wave of backlash.
The store announced the promotion on Thursday, stating that any customer who preordered “Off Ramp: How to Be a Peacemaker in an Age of Contempt” from the shop would get a signed copy. The bookshop also vowed to donate up to $500 to Operation Literacy.
Cox shared the promotion, saying that the bookstore’s airport location was his “favorite stop at SLC International.”
(Screenshot) Utah Gov. Spencer Cox had shared the book promotion on his social media accounts.
But the backlash from the community of readers and supporters that the bookstore has cultivated over nearly 50 years was swift and loud.
Many commenters on the post expressed outrage that the bookshop would willingly promote Cox after he signed HB29 into law in 2024, making it easier for schools to ban books. Now, Utah has banned 34 titles in all public schools so far.
Other commenters stated they were disappointed that the shop would promote Cox and not simply carry the book, despite adding a comment about respecting differing viewpoints to the caption of their post.
Commenters also began tagging other local independent bookstores to support instead.
On Friday, King’s English co-owners Anne Holman and Calvin Crosby canceled the promotion and posted a video statement in response to the backlash.
“We’ve heard the impassioned responses from you both online and in the bookstore and our hearts are heavy. We agreed to promote Governor Cox’s book because he and the First Lady have worked hard and continue to work hard on literacy issues in Utah,” the statement said.
The statement went on to say the store’s owners were “disappointed” by Cox’s monthly news conference on Thursday, during which he voiced support for a proposed “hyperscale” data center in Box Elder County.
The bookstore co-owners ended by saying, “While Off Ramp will be available in the shop, we are stepping away from the pre-order campaign. Have a good weekend, read a good book, and consider donating to a local literacy organization of your choice.”
Comments of thanks started to trickle in Friday evening.
“I love your shop because you listen to your customers and take action. Thank you for being so wonderful,” one Instagram user wrote.
