The man who invented bookselling

 James Lackington was the London’s greatest bookseller. His bookshop - The Temple of the Muses - was one of the first modern bookstores. James recognized the value of books at an early age. With his friends he looked for cheap poetry or plays to educate himself and understand the world. He was a shoemaker so when years later he moved to London he opened up a shop in which he sold books and shoes. Late 18th century London was a time of change, more people were learning  how to read. Back then books were pretty expensive and Lackington wanted to find a way for them to be affordable. He succeeded by running a cash only business and reducing the prices of books to sell them at high volume. In 1794 he was able to move into a huge shop, which became a tourist attraction. James Lackington revolutionized bookselling and we can experience that every time we enter a bookstore.

Source:

https://lithub.com/the-man-who-invented-bookselling-as-we-know-it/