> This bookstore didn't do anything more special than actually work hard to beat Amazon. Oh, and they also picked a location literally across from Harvard Yard, filled with a constantly rotating customer base with a penchant for reading and lots of disposable income. That helped too.

WordsWorth had similarly prime location and a relatively early online bookstore, IIRC. They also tried things like the Curious George tie-in. Didn't save them. The Harvard Book Store's survival is more unusual than you think.

P.S. They didn't pick the location to compete with Amazon. They were there (under previous ownership) since before Jeff Bezos was born, I believe.