Publications
Publications
- November 2021 (Revised March 2022)
- HBS Case Collection
Kwame Spearman at Tattered Cover: Reinventing Brick-and-Mortar Retail
By: Ryan Raffaelli and Kerry Herman
Abstract
The case spotlights Kwame Spearman’s career-shifting decision to leave a NYC-based consulting job to return to his hometown of Denver, Colorado, and take over an iconic independent bookstore, The Tattered Cover. The case lays out ways Spearman envisions a new approach to retail. It highlights challenges that can face individuals when they step into a substantive leadership role for the first time. It also examines how local businesses respond to significant threats from online and big box retailers.
Keywords
Retail; Leadership; Leading Change; Competitive Strategy; Personal Development and Career; Publishing Industry; Retail Industry; United States
Citation
Raffaelli, Ryan, and Kerry Herman. "Kwame Spearman at Tattered Cover: Reinventing Brick-and-Mortar Retail." Harvard Business School Case 422-014, November 2021. (Revised March 2022.)