Atticus Books: When did One More Page open and, more importantly, why?

Eileen McGervey: One More Page opened in January 2011 after almost two years of planning.  My answer to “why” is a cliché–I love books. My first job was shelving books on a book mobile when I was in high school. I love to read, love to talk about books and decided that I wanted to focus on working with something I loved. Turns out I got to work with three things I enjoy–books, wine and chocolate.

AB: What kind of reading community is Arlington?

EM: I love the reading community here in Arlington and Falls Church. Folks are open to reading new books and genres. They listen to NPR, Jon Stewart, read book reviews in the NY Times and Washington Post and then come in to talk with us about the books. It’s not uncommon for us to be talking with one customer about a book and another customer joins in to comment or to suggest a related book. Our customers do not generally buy the bestsellers; they’re here to find something different. That gives us a lot of freedom in what we display.

AB: You all have one of the best wine collections we’ve seen in a bookstore. What’s the story there?

EM: The idea for the wine was to diversify our product lines (that’s my old life coming in here) and give people another reason to come into the store. It’s turned into something really fun for us and our customers. Our wine tastings give our customers a chance to visit with each other and with us. Carrying wine makes us different and it’s a great conversation starter. I can’t tell you how many people say–wow, my three favorite things in one place–books, wine and chocolate! We totally agree.

AB: Two weeks ago, you participated in the first World Book Night America. How was it?

EM: The buildup for WBN was great and our WBN reception was a lot of fun as we got to hear where our givers were planning to distribute books. In the weeks leading up to WBN, many customers asked about WBN after seeing the display in the store. Now that we and our customers know more about this amazing program, we are really looking forward to doing a lot more next year and encouraging our customers to become givers.

AB: One More Page hosts a variety of book clubs—who starts these? Are you a member of any?

EM: Wow, I think almost all of our books clubs were suggested by customers.  I recruited Jenn Lawrence of Jenn’s Bookshelves to lead our first book group. The kids’ book group was started by two members of our staff. All the others were suggested by customers–Mystery/Suspense, Non-Fiction, Spiritual/Philosophy and our newest, a Daytime Fiction book group. For now, I lead the Spiritual/Philosophy book group and sometimes sit in on the Fiction and Mystery/Suspense book groups (I am a big mystery lover).

AB: What do you find is the most effective kind of community engagement?

EM: Saying “yes” as much as possible–to local authors, to working with the schools, fundraisers, store suggestions and supporting events that are important to our customers. Our store events and book clubs have been a wonderful way to engage with the community–they’re fun and give us all a chance to talk about books we’re interested in. That’s one of the things that’s really different about indie bookstores–we are constantly trying to bring a wide range of authors to our customers.

AB: The Pulitzer Prize for Fiction went unawarded this year, much to the disappointment of book lovers and book sellers everywhere. Between the finalists (Denis Johnson’s Trains Dreams, Karen Russell’s Swamplandia!, and David Foster Wallace’s The Pale King ) which would you pick?

EM: I freely admit that I am humbled multiple times a day when people ask me about a book and I confess I haven’t read it myself. I have to say the same thing about the 3 nominees for the Pulitzer Prize in Fiction. If I was going to read one, it would be Swamplandia! That did make it to my short list to read, just hasn’t made it to the top.

AB: What’s your favorite bookstore memory to date?

EM: We had a magical night with Sarah Pekkanen and Eleanor Brown. We had only been open a couple of months and we didn’t even know how fortunate we were to get the two of them together in one place. They had fun, our customers had fun and we had fun. There was much laughter, great stories and it showed us how much fun we could have (and how lucky we were). How could I want to do anything else?

Headshot from Paz & Associates
All other photos by Libby O’Neill

Atticus Books: Do you ever feel like a celebrity in the book-buying world, being the buyer for such a well-known and iconic store?

Paul Yamazaki: No.

AB: How has the character of San Francisco shaped the character of the store? Do you think City Lights could exist anywhere else?

PY: In my opinion City Lights could not exist anyplace other than 261 Columbus Ave. The cultural, literary and political environment of San Francisco from 1946 to 1953 created the foundation of what was to become City Lights. Poet Philip Lamantia described that period as a “convergence of poets, painters, ex-conscientious objectors and radical anarchists-rebels of all stripes. Kenneth Rexroth was the central figure..” Rexroth along with Madeline Gleason laid the groundwork for what was later to be called the “San Francisco Poetry Renaissance”.

In 1947 Gleason organized the “First Festival of Modern Poetry.” Poets who read during the two-day festival included Rexroth, Robert Duncan, Muriel Rukeyser, William Everson and Jack Spicer. Among the ex-conscientious objectors were poets William Everson and Lewis Hill who would go on to found KPFA, the first listener sponsored radio station in the United States. KPFA became the voice for the poets, painters, ex-conscientious objectors, radical anarchists and left wing radicals of all stripes. Lawrence [Ferlinghetti] and Peter Martin created City Lights to become the bookstore to that community. Through the years, City Lights has maintained these traditions and the staff of City Lights feels this is the key to our continued sustainability.

AB: In the same way, what does the staff of City Lights bring to the personality of the store?

PY: Lawrence has felt that the staff was an essential element of the sustainability of City Lights. There is no better evidence of this than Shigeyoshi Murao, one of the first employees that Lawrence hired. Shig eventually became a partner in City Lights and managed the store for over 20 years. For many of the poets and writers who frequented City Lights from 1953 to 1975 Shig was one of the central and most compelling figures in the San Francisco literary world of the time.

Nancy Peters is another key member of the staff who started working at City Lights as an editor in 1971. Without Nancy’s able navigation City Lights probably would have not been able to clear the shoals of a financial crisis in the early 1980s. Nancy became Lawrence’s business [partner] in 1984 and was the director of City Lights until she retired in 2007.

The staff is at the heart of City Lights’ curatorial practices in book acquisition. For the past 30 years, all members of the staff participate in the decision-making process of what books will be stocked at City Lights. I feel this participation by the staff makes City Lights such an interesting browsing experience for the curious reader.

AB: How do you see City Lights (or how do you think it sees itself) in relation to the rest of the independent bookstore community?

PY: City Lights from its earliest years has been part of a continuum of booksellers. George Whitman credits Lawrence with encouraging him to open his bookstore in Paris, which George named Shakespeare & Company in honor of Sylvia Beach. The 8th Street Bookshop owned by the Wilentz Brothers was the New York City analog of City Lights. In the 24 months after City Lights opened, Roy Kepler opened his bookstore Kepler’s in Menlo Park on the San Francisco Peninsula and Fred and Pat Cody opened Cody’s in Berkeley.

Together these three stores helped shaped independent bookstore practices and the public perception of what an independent store is. My decades as an independent bookseller would not have been possible without the friendship and advice from booksellers. Most of what I know as a bookseller is derived from the conversation that I have had with booksellers from all over the United States.

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Atticus Books: How did Farley’s Bookshop get started and what do you think has kept it going since?

William Hastings: Farley’s was opened by Jim and Nancy Farley in 1967. James Michener and Fred Rogers (of Mr. Rogers fame) helped them to open it then. There had been a bookstore operating for thirty years in New Hope, which is what the Farleys bought out, making New Hope the site of a continuous independent bookseller for over seventy years. This year Farley’s will celebrate its 45th anniversary. It is currently owned and run by Jim and Nancy’s two daughters, Jennifer and Rebekah, and managed by Julian, who has been here almost thirty years. All this longevity comes mostly from community support: there are many people around here who won’t buy their books anywhere else. There’s a sense of community and family here. It’s amazing to talk to people who were given books from here when they were children and are now buying books for their children from Farley’s. The other part of it is a dedicated staff. No matter who has worked here, everyone has given a bit of themselves to the store. Early on, Jim and Nancy cultivated an environment where employees could pursue their interests and bring their loves to the store. While Jim and Nancy were certainly in charge, it would have been out of place, and still is, for an employee to just sit back and work the register. That combination of deep staff involvement and a die-hard customer base built from the ground up is what has made us last.

AB: What do you think is the most distinctive about the store? What sets it apart from other booksellers, even other indie booksellers?

WH: This goes back to staff involvement. Each of us designs and daydreams projects that match our own interests. For example, one of our staff members, Mike, loves science fiction. He’ll do the ordering for the section, design displays, bring in special displays (steampunk or horror or foreign short story anthologies), work with publishers and distributors. It’s his space and while we all have a hand in it, when you go back into science fiction you’ll notice Mike’s personality everywhere. We’ve recently started selling ARCs for a dollar and giving all the proceeds to local charities. The first one we gave to was a local cat shelter where Mike volunteers. This is how the store is run: find something you love and cultivate it. A staff member, Lauren, is a children’s librarian with a local school district. She and Rebekah have carried on Nancy’s legendary children’s book section. As I write this, another staff member, Kristina, is in the children’s picture books re-arranging a display. We all mark out a bit of turf and everyone helps keep it going. It’s a free-flowing, idea-charged atmosphere where we are allowed to take risks and that has allowed us to have a very unique and deep stock, unlike anywhere else. And it has been that way since the beginning.

AB: What kind of a home is New Hope, PA for a small independent bookshop?

WH: Couldn’t ask for better. New Hope has long been a place where artists have found themselves comfortable. Henry Miller began his book The Air Conditioned Nightmare here, Charlie Parker once had a home in the county, Abbie Hoffman’s final years were in New Hope, and there is still a vibrant writing and artistic community here. Gerald Stern lives across the river, Christian Bauman lives in the area, Dennis Tafoya and Lee Harper aren’t too far away. Beyond that, it’s a small tight-knit community that also prides itself on its eclecticism and diversity. Even with the changes the book world has seen lately, there’s still a sense around here that we need our Main Street, otherwise we won’t  have much of a town.

AB: One interesting feature of the shop is your focus on small presses. Where does the interest in these smaller presses come from and what do you see the value of promoting titles from houses like Press 53 or Black Widow Press?

WH: The interest in the small presses grew out of our reading them. The more we read and the more we saw in the small press world, the more we realized that there is a whole, vibrant, literary world out there that is producing some of the finest literature around. After the 2008 crash, many of the major publishers shucked mid-list authors and the small presses picked up these great writers and gave them good homes. People often bemoan the state of contemporary American literature and we can’t figure out why. There’s too many good things happening with small presses for that to be true. The value of promoting the small presses is myriad. First, you are helping to keep a vital literature alive. Whether it is through promoting a press like Archipelago Books that prints mostly literature in translation, or a press that prints nothing but poetry, the promotion of these presses keeps them alive, which keeps their books out in the world for people to fall in love with. This helps to keep the authors writing and the great surge of vitality alive in our literature. It is, as someone once said (Pound?), through a country’s literature that its essence, its own vitality is either made relevant or not. The small presses have long been the opening ground for writers that went on to much larger presses. Sherman Alexie began on (and still publishes with) Hanging Loose Press and look at what has happened recently with Jaimy Gordon and Paul Harding. Keeping the small presses on the shelves means that our customers have the ability to see where great writers started out, where they are publishing now and where the next great writer might be. Focusing on these presses also allows us to have a stock that other stores don’t have. And it allows us to hand-sell and recommend books computer databases can’t recommend because they haven’t read the book.

AB: In the age of Amazon and e-books, how does an indie bookstore like Farley’s stay relevant? What do you see as your strongest advantage over big-box retailers like Amazon?

WH: Indie bookstores stay relevant, and will always be relevant, because they offer all the things Amazon and chain stores can’t: personalized recommendations and service, diverse stock cultivated by individuals and the ability to give back to a community. Shopping locally means you pay local taxes. This money then goes back into the community in the form of good public schools, teacher salaries, police departments, ambulance squads and fire departments. New jobs are created. We like these things and we live in a system that requires taxes in order for these things to operate. When you shop at Amazon you are taking money out of the community you live in. When you shop at chain stores a smaller percentage of money goes back into the community. Part of staying relevant is reminding people that where they choose to spend their money is a powerful decision, a decision that decides the future of the place they live in. If you want good schools and safe streets you need to shop locally. And part of staying relevant comes from the personalized service you get at an indie bookstore. No algorithm can replace a good bookseller’s knowledge of their customer base. People come in and ask for recommendations and we can give them something they have never heard of, and even may be wary of, but that we know they will enjoy based on previous interactions with them. You will never get a left field recommendation like that from a computer or a chain store whose employees are not as invested in their workplace as we are. We forget these things at times, but indie bookstores, like great teachers, can change lives. Above my head, as I type this, is a letter from a boy who was given Aldo Leopold’s A Sand County Almanac by his aunt. She had come into the store needing a high school graduation gift, told us about the boy, and we gave her Leopold’s book. She trusted our recommendation. In the letter, which she copied and gave to us, the boy wrote: “Out of all the gifts I received that night, I felt that the one you gave me truly meant more than just money. It is something that will help me further than just buying bed sheets at Bed, Bath and Beyond. Your gift will actually provide me with a larger base of knowledge for my career ahead.” That cannot, and will not, ever happen with Amazon because shopping online lacks the element of the personal. In an indie bookstore it is the mingling of personalities that changes lives, one book at a time.

AB: What’s your fondest memory of the bookstore?

WH: It’s all the small things: the smell of coffee from the French bakery down the street on a winter day after one of the staff has made a run down there with an order from everyone else and returned; it is the Christmas-like feeling of opening a new shipment of books; the laughs late at night when we are the only store in town open as late as the bars; listening to Lee Morgan on a rainy afternoon; the dust in the corners that reminds me I don’t work in a chain store; talking books and sharing bottles of wine. There’s a sense of life here that you feel happy to be a part of.

AB: And the memory of which you’re, say, least fond.

WH: The passing of Jim Farley this past September. That is a large presence missing from the store, though in many ways he’s still in every inch of this place.

AB: What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned so far in your years as a bookseller?

WH: I’ll quote Sam Cooke: “If you want to really roll, you’ve got to do the thing with soul.”

Atticus Books: When we say Saturn Booksellers is an award-winning store, we’re not kidding. You’ve received the Michigan Retailer of the Year Award, the Golden Pineapple Award and the Best Bookstore and Best Staff Awards. What do you think makes the store such a noteworthy place?

Jill Miner: Most definitely my staff. In a small community like Gaylord, having just the right mix of personalities is critical, as the one-on-one dialogue with customers is what moves the books out the door. Our customers are much more likely to come in wanting to know what we think they should read as wanting to know where such-and-so book they read a review of is shelved. We always have several high school and college-aged kids working with us, and they add a real family dynamic to the atmosphere. We are a closely-knit group, and have a lot of fun at work. I think that customers can sense that, and it makes them feel like our store is a comfortable place where they can have fun, too!

AB: What makes Gaylord an ideal spot for an indie bookstore and coffee shop?

JM: Gaylord is a resort town, so folks are coming up north wanting to be entertained and to have an experience they might not get at home. As more and more of the country re-focuses on the value of community and small business, I think we give our vacationing customers a way to connect to that small-town vibe, and feel a part of something special. That being said, I really think that any community is a good place for an indie, and that every community deserves one. I’ve always said that I strive to create the kind of bookstore where I would want to shop, and I’d want to shop at an indie bookstore no matter where I lived. The coffee shop? It just adds to the hanging-out-with-friends feeling we always strive to achieve.

AB: Seems like there’s always a reading, signing, storytime or crafting event going on at Saturn–is there one event that stands out in your mind as the most successful  or unique?

JM: Very early on in our author event scheduling, we hosted Claire Cook, whose novel (and later movie) Must Love Dogs was about a woman re-entering the dating scene after many years of married life. Her well-intentioned family puts ads in the relationship section of the paper on her behalf, and mayhem ensues. We created a whole slew of personal ads to hang from our ceiling for the reading, and then adjourned outside underneath our town Pavilion where we held a community -wide bachelor auction, selling off males in our community to do everything from washing cars in shorts only to giving golf lessons. We raised over $3,000 for our local school libraries at the auction, Claire got a great photo of her signing our local radio station DJ/auctioneer’s stomach in Sharpie in PW, and we established our author events as the place to see and be seen all in one fell swoop!

AB: How have customers responded to Saturn selling Google ebooks and how has your experience been so far, getting them to think of the store as a source of digital literature?

JM: Sadly, our reception has been luke-warm. I really think the problem is marketing and perception. It is so difficult to spread the word that ‘Kindle’ is not synonymous with ‘eReader’ and that owning a Kindle will divert all of your ebook purchases away from us and straight to Amazon. Amazon has a huge marketing budget and fighting for mind-share is such an up-hill battle. Several of the bookstores in our region have banded together to buy some print ads for the holidays beseaching customers to consider an eReader purchase that will allow them to continue to buy locally, and I really hope we get some reach from that. The message is on our website, it’s in our store, it’s in our ads, but I feel as if I’m mostly preaching to the choir. It’s all of those OTHER people we need to get to before the holiday buying frenzy takes hold!

AB: To what extent have you seen the closing of Borders impact Saturn and how do you see it affecting sales in the future?

JM: The closest Borders to us was 1 1/2 hours away, in Traverse City. It has generated a lot of talk in Gaylord–I had a guest column in our local paper about it and we offered a gift card for any Borders Rewards cards turned in to us, but I think the greater impact by far is on the stores in the TC area.  That space was one of the ones immediately filled by a Books-a-Million.

AB: As a bookseller, what part of your job do you look forward to the most each day?

JM: Talking to customers about books. Hands down.

AB: If you weren’t selling books, you’d be…

JM: Reading them. Haha! I’m a dilettante–I always said I wanted to work in advertising (I did, for years), stay at home with kids (I did, until my two youngest, twins, were in second grade and our oldest in seventh, and then I opened the store), own a bookstore (that would be the ‘now’ phase), and go to law school. I always tell folks that since I often can’t remember why I’ve gone from one side of the store to the other these days, I might not flourish in law school, so they’re just stuck with me in bookstore phase for now!

AB: What books are you expecting to fly off the shelves this season?

JM: The obvious ones, Steve Jobs, Night Circus, the Jaqueline Onassis tapes, but we always have a table front and center of special staff picks of books we think you shouldn’t miss this year. It usually generates a lot of business in more obscure, or not such commercial titles. We’re still honing that list right now…

AB: While there are plenty of reasons people like to predict doom for indie bookstores, what gives you hope that indies like Saturn can not only survive but thrive?

JM: I think we fill a niche. If touching, smelling and reading a ‘real’ book have value, so do talking, laughing and listening to ‘real’ booksellers. Amazon’s kids can’t tell you about their last semester at college, Amazon’s staff doesn’t care about your pet troubles, and you can’t smell Amazon’s coffee shop from out on the sidewalk.

AB: Favorite bookstore memory to date?

JM: Every time someone tells us that we are their favorite store. No matter how rotten my day has been, or how many customers have come in with cell phones poised to scan ISBNs, being thanked for just being here has the power to make my day.

Atticus Books: Part of the unique character of La Casa Azul is your commitment to sharing and supporting the work of Latino authors. How integral is this commitment to the mission of the bookstore? Who are some of your favorite Latino writers right now?

Aurora Anaya-Cerda: As an artist, educator, and entrepreneur, La Casa Azul Bookstore is a reflection of who I am and the goals that I have to feature Latino/Chicano writers. Chicano literature was critical in my own education and identity. Growing up, I was an avid reader, but it wasn’t until I discovered Chicano writers that I connected to the stories and began seeking out more books that reflected my identity and experience. By then I was already in high school and I wished I had read them earlier! La Casa Azul Bookstore will be that place for adults and especially for youth, because reading about your history and your culture should not have to be something you discover in high school or during college courses.

Some of my favorite authors right now are Esmeralda Santiago, Sergio Troncoso, Toni Plummer and Peggy Robles Alvarado.

Atticus: What makes East Harlem an ideal spot for a new independent bookstore?

Aurora: East Harlem is rich with cultural institutions that are part of Museum Mile and is home to cultural centers like Taller Boricua. Murals and mosaic pieces cover walls and galleries offer a variety of visual art shows for visitors to enjoy. That is what attracted me to the neighborhood and that is why a bookstore is the perfect fit, adding the literary arts to an already culturally rich neighborhood.

Atticus: On your fundraising page, you mention the concept of placemaking. What does this mean and what role will it play in the mission and design of the store?

Aurora: La Casa Azul Bookstore aims to create a business that is much more than your average retail store by being the literature hub in East Harlem. In addition to hosting book clubs, author signings and story times for children, we will serve as a community meeting space. We will continue to work with area schools and nonprofits to promote literacy in the East Harlem community.

I realize now that going with Plan B was the best thing that could have happened…

Atticus: It’s getting more and more common for hopeful booksellers to begin with an online store and then, when possible, transition into a bricks-and-mortar presence. What appealed to you about this mode of operation? Would you recommend it to others?

Aurora: The decision to launch an online store was plan B. Plan A was to open the store, and then have the online presence to complement it. But it was 2008, and banks were not lending money, and I could not afford a commercial space.

I realize now that going with Plan B was the best thing that could have happened because the website set a platform for me and I have been able to develop an audience. In addition to working in bookstores, having my own online business has been a great way to stay on the pulse of the publishing world. I definitely recommend this method to others, especially before you take the leap to open a store and make a larger investment.

Once we identify the commercial space we will look to our audience and neighbors for feedback on what programs and classes they would like to see, and take advantage of the skills and talent of our supporters by giving them an opportunity to partner with La Casa Azul Bookstore.

My fear was not being ready for what is ahead, but every time I walk into a bookstore, that feeling melts away–in a bookstore, I feel at home.

Atticus: Other than raising the necessary funds, what has been the greatest hurdle or fear you’ve had to overcome throughout this process?

Aurora: I’m the type of person who will formulate a plan and review it several times it before making a major decision. Which is why it has taken years to get to this point in the bookstore’s ‘life.’ Since 2001 I have worked and volunteered in five bookstores, taken business classes, attended bookselling school, and travelled the country meeting with booksellers, studying diverse business models.

My fear was not being ready for what is ahead, but every time I walk into a bookstore, that feeling melts away–in a bookstore, I feel at home.

Atticus: So far, you’ve raised just over $2,000 of the $40,000 necessary to make this dream come true. How confident are you that you’ll reach the finish line, so to speak?

Aurora: Due to popular demand, IndieGogo extended the campaign until Monday October 31, 11:59 PST.
In addition to the online contributions, I have also received direct contributions from supporters–so even if we are shy of $40,000 by the time the campaign is over, I consider this campaign a success.

[Update: Since the time of the interview, the campaign has ended, having raised $36,359.00. Anaya-Cerda is actively searching for a commercial space for the store.]

The ‘40K in 40 days’ campaign received media attention from NBC News, New York Daily News, Huffington Post, El Diario La Prensa, CUNY TV, and blogs nationwide. More than 220 people have contributed to the campaign and become part of the Founder’s Circle, with contributions from across the country, England and Australia.

The response from the community has been incredibly positive and supportive. Many contributors can’t wait to have an independent bookstore in their neighborhood and have already offered to volunteer at the store. Book lovers, teachers, and authors are waiting for the store to open.

Atticus:If you’re able to accomplish just one thing through the opening of La Casa Azul in East Harlem, what would you hope for?

Aurora: I would hope that people would do what makes them happy–to enjoy the journey, and know that even if it takes years to accomplish your dream, it is all worth it.

Lead Photo Source: Huffington Post by Johnny Ramos

Atticus Books: Usually we find that booksellers have got a story to tell when it comes to how they came to the decision to open their bookstore. True for you too?

Patrick Darby: Yes. I’ve worked as a bookseller since I got out of college over 30 years ago. I started at Crown Books (don’t hold that against me), was Area Manager at Book Warehouse, and worked at university bookstores. I wasn’t happy at the last place I worked, because they were totally concerned about the bottom line, not customer service. We weren’t allowed to spend too much time with a customer to find out their preferences, or make a variety of recommendations. After my father passed away, I decided to try a bookstore of my own. It was a low point, and the job was getting too stressful. I immediately began preparing to open a bookstore, and the first thing I discovered was my blood pressure dropped 20 points. It’s still stressful opening a store and running one, but it’s an invigorating challenge.

AB: What would you define as your biggest obstacle to overcome in the opening of Novel Places?

PD: It’s still ongoing, but getting permits has been the biggest obstacle. I’ll start off by saying the store started online. The lease I was working on fell through, so I sold online while looking for a new location. I settled on a sub-lease at the coffee shop in Clarksburg. That business folded and I couldn’t afford the lease for the large space. I eventually ended in the current location as a full-service bookstore in a stand-alone building. Up to that point, I had all the permits necessary to operate, but getting permanent signage for the current store has proven difficult. It’s an unusual situation, given the store is in the Clarksburg Historic District. In this case, the historic signpost is on State Highway right-of-way. It took time to get permission to use the post for a sign. Now the problem is the county’s code requires a new sign to be set back from the edge of the property, which puts it in my driveway. The building is set too far back to be easily seen by passing traffic, so putting a sign on the building is ineffective. It’s been 3 months since we opened and we’re working with the Historic Commission to submit a request to the county for a variance.

AB: Any bookseller knows it takes the interest and support of the local community to succeed. What about Clarksburg struck you as an ideal spot for an indie bookstore?

PD: Even though it’s a rural community in Montgomery County, the town is growing rapidly through multiple development projects. When I was in the coffee shop, sales were good, and I saw a lot of potential in the demographics and community interaction.

AB: On October 15-16, you’ll be hosting a Reader’s Retreat called “Club Read.” What’s the idea behind a “reader’s retreat” and what should an attendee expect?

PD: I’m one of a number of stores promoting Club Read. It’s the first retreat for independent booksellers, and an opportunity for our customers to meet 12 authors who are popular among the book clubs. The weekend event is at a relaxing location, and everyone gets to enjoy quality time talking about books and meeting an author. Author appearances at bookstores are a group of people listening to an author for an hour, getting a book signed, and maybe getting a moment of time with them. This weekend is a limited number of people meeting an author at planned events, and having time to get to know them and have significant conversations.

AB: What do you see as the main goal of any event you host at the store?

PD: A successful event is when everyone has a good time and doesn’t want to leave. I want customers to feel they got something out of the event, met new people, and to participate in future events.

AB: As a newlywed, I love that customers have the ability to create a “Book Registry” on your website. What inspired the registry idea and what is your hope for it?

PD: Congratulations! I’ve seen wish lists on a lot of websites. Currently, it’s difficult to set one up on the IndieCommerce site, which is the webhost for my site. My niece and nephews always know I’m going to give them books, and now they tell me what they like so I don’t mess up. It occurred to me they could create a list and if anyone else wanted to give them a book, they could check it. From there, it was easy to extend it to any event, including weddings. There are so many books that help newlyweds.

AB: As an offerer of Google eBooks, how have eBook sales compared so far to traditional book sales?  Do you see that changing drastically in the near future?

PD: I’m getting only a few ebooks at any time. Most of my customers want print books, and those that don’t, look to Amazon. There is a lot of educating to be done that will show the choices available to customers. The main point is to show that buying through my website will give me a percentage of the sales and support my store. The agency model has leveled the field so that the prices are the same for everyone. Sales of ebooks are jumping up dramatically every year, but they are still a small percentage of overall book sales. It will continue to grow, but there are reputable experts who believe print books will be viable for a long time. I try to be realistic about the future, and in fact, have begun the process to sell ereaders.

AB: In a recent blog post, you described your attitude towards the future of independent booksellers as “optimistic…  As long as people want to meet authors, and book groups want someplace to meet, there will be brick and mortar bookstores.” Is all the doom and gloom prophesied by many in the industry way off base?

PD: When new technology rocks an industry, there are many who quickly jump on the demise of traditional business models. Throughout retail history changes are a natural part of business, some cataclysmic, but those that adapt will succeed. I think it’s a mistake to compare bookstores to other retail businesses, because there are more differences than similarities. That doesn’t mean bookstores won’t face similar setbacks, but I believe they will continue and prosper. The main difference, as I pointed out, is the bookstore is a meeting place and destination. It’s a place to socialize with people of similar tastes and ideas. Bookstores can augment books with cafes, live music, and social events centered around books and authors. It doesn’t matter what format you use to read the book, the store fills the natural desire to get together.

AB: Perhaps the elephant in the room in any interview with a bookseller these days: The Demise of Borders.

PD: Booksellers sincerely mourn the loss of Borders because it was a bookstore, thousands of fellow booksellers lost their jobs, and it leaves a void in the community that can’t really be filled by an independent. Independents will move in to the area, but they can’t provide the volume or reach the customer base of a big box store. I won’t deny my relief the Borders near me closed, since it will help my business, but my challenge is to get the customer’s attention and try to provide the services they expected from Borders. The industry suffers from the loss of Borders because inventory is reduced, authors may not be signed, and the debt that needs to be absorbed can be crippling for publishers, especially the small independents. We can debate their demise for years, but it was more than ebook sales as reported. What made me saddest about Borders closing was meeting and knowing the employees during the last days. When they heard I was opening a bookstore, they bent over backwards to set me up with fixtures and tips. They loved the idea that part of their store would live on in another bookstore.

It will be the hardest thing you ever do, with little or no financial reward, but realizing the feeling of bringing people together for the love of the book is tremendous.

AB: What are your words of wisdom for booklovers out there toying with the idea of opening their own indie bookstore? Is it worth the work?

PD: If you really love books, and can’t imagine your town without a bookstore, then opening a bookstore is worth the work. It will be the hardest thing you ever do, with little or no financial reward, but realizing the feeling of bringing people together for the love of the book is tremendous. You also have to love retail, because it will be hard work, and you will deal with difficult customers and bad days. That also means you have to have a great, positive attitude. Try to get some experience in retail and take the Paz & Associates course on bookselling. I learned on the job, before Paz, and it took much longer. Talk to as many booksellers as you can. We love to brag about our bookstores, and laugh over our gaffs. Make sure you do your due diligence on location, community, financing, and leasing. It’s best to own your building, especially in this economy. Get the community involved in the build out and opening of your store, and that will result in loyal customers. Be prepared to give back to the community, and that they will probably expect a lot more than you’re able to give. Don’t cry when you tear the cover off paperback returns. You’ll never be able to read all the books in your store.

Atticus Books: 2011 marks the last year of your current lease at the Newtonville Books location. In a move that has garnered some attention from industry pulse-keepers, you all have asked your local community to step up and show you how invested they are in keeping you around. Can you tell us about this initiative?

Jaime Clarke: Simply that the future of books and bookstores is constantly being debated–I’m old enough to remember when audio books were going to be the end of printed books–and Borders’s recent bankruptcy woes have brought a timbre to the conversation we haven’t heard in awhile. That plus the expiration of our lease next year made us want to search out how much our community values an independent bookstore and, more directly, if they’re willing to underwrite its existence with memberships. The margins in bookselling are notoriously slim, and our wonderful customers are always telling us how much they sincerely appreciate our being on the block, but there’s a real dollar price to having an independent bookstore in your neighborhood and the question is this: are you willing to pay it?

AB: This explicit petition to the community to come forward and actively support the independent bookstores we all claim to want to keep around is becoming more and more popular as seen by the efforts of places like Buffalo Street Books and Reading Frenzy. Why do you think that is?

JC: At a certain point, readers have to be called to account. It’s fine to say you support independent bookselling, but if you’re grabbing books off the shelves at Target and Walmart and Costco, or browsing bookstores and then running home to order them on Amazon, you don’t really support independent bookselling. And those of us in the independent bookstore business have watched while store after store in various communities closes and the patrons are always shocked, when the answer is really more obvious than anyone wants to admit. So for us it was a way to remind our community that they hold all the power when it comes to whether or not their neighborhood has an independent bookstore. If they want us to stay, we need them to shop here.

AB: In your online letter to the community, you make the point that as an independent bookstore, you are “constantly trying to evolve to meet the community’s needs.” What are some past examples of this kind of evolution and what changes do you see as necessary for the future?

JC: We’ve added writing workshops, bookclubs (including our Celebrity Bookclub, led by local authors), memberships, rentable DVDs of films based on books, as well as some programming that didn’t work like Summer Camp Care Packages, Paperback reader clubs, children’s storytime, etc. The evolution includes contractions, too: the previous owner enlarged the store by half to add a giant children’s section, but when the community didn’t shop there enough to warrant our carrying that much kids’ stuff, we turned it into a used book room, which the community seems to like more.

AB: You also point out that “if Amazon’s local customers would buy every third book at Newtonville Books, your neighborhood bookstore would be thriving beyond wildest expectations.” With so much love and support for indies being expressed by booklovers, what do you think accounts for this apparent reluctance to voice this support with their consumer decisions?

JC: The easiest answer, especially in light of recent history, is money. It’s easy to understand the impulse to want a book for 20-40% off, shipped free to your home or office, sometimes the next day. No denying it. But when a booklover pulls the trigger on this purchase, they’re voting against having an independent bookstore in their neighborhood and the kinds of literary programming that indies bring to their block. (Exempt obviously are those who don’t live anywhere near an independent bookstore. I have a friend who lives in the woods of Minnesota who relies on Amazon, though the effect on Minnesota’s fiscal problems is probably exacerbated by said purchase since Amazon doesn’t collect sales tax on that purchase, but that’s another conversation). We’re hoping to make people more aware of what they’re doing with their dollars.

AB: With Borders declaring bankruptcy and closing so many of its doors, there seem to be mixed reactions going around amongst indie booksellers. Do you see these changes as reason for rejoicing, or is it a bad sign for bookselling in general?

JC: A bookstore closing, regardless of size, is a bad sign, no doubt. It makes publishers very nervous when a bookstore the size of Borders falters. And writers, especially midlist fiction writers, many of whom we love and promote like family, will ultimately suffer the consequences in the form of reduced advances, printings, etc. –if they can manage to find a book deal at all.

AB: Part of what makes Newtonville Books much more than a place to buy books is the writing programs you regularly host. Can you tell us about your workshops and the kind of success you’ve had with them?

JC: There are two distinct workshops at the bookstore: the workshops hosted by Grub Street, an independent writing community in Boston, which we host, and our own writing workshop, which is really a laboratory for first ideas. Our workshop is twenty bucks and meets one Saturday a month. It’s easy to sit in on, with no pressure to be working on a novel or story or anything of length. We think readers who harbor the writing bug like it as a way to test their creative suspicions.

AB: Obviously, the folks at Newtonville put serious and concerted effort into fostering your bookshop’s relationship with the community’s writers. In an ideal world, how would this relationship work; In other words, how should independent bookstores and local writers be working to help each other out?

JC: We’re lucky we live in a city like Boston, which has a plethora of terrific writers, and we’re doubly lucky at Newtonville to count them among our friends. (Some even attended our wedding!) Writers are always answering the call from us, be it to host our Celebrity Bookclub, or to pair up with a lesser-known writer at a reading, or by answering our Questionnaire, which we use to promote them and their work. My wife and I come from the world of literary magazines, having both worked for Post Road, and so we greatly value the conversational flow with writers. A writer lending his or her name and/or time to a local independent bookstore gives that bookstore cultural relevance in the neighborhood, ultimately. And we love hand-selling books by local authors and bringing their work to our customers, who think it’s cool to read a book written by someone they might bump into at the grocery store.

AB: While you focus primarily on new books, the store also maintains a Used Book Annex. What was the motivation for including this consignment aspect in Newtonville Books? Any particular challenges it brings along with it?

JC: As mentioned above, we needed a use for this space previously occupied by the kids’ section. And customers had been asking us about carrying used books for years. But it introduces a whole new set of challenges for the administration of the store, i.e., a buying program, how books will be entered into the computerized inventory, etc., so we held off until we could really do it right. Our other reluctance was the notion that writers don’t get royalties from the resale of their books, and as I said previously, we care very much about writers; but happily most writers are thrilled to have their books passed from hand to hand, and don’t mind a local, independent bookstore pocketing a few coins in the transaction.

AB: Aside from new and used books, Newtonville Books also offers a “Books on Film” Rental program. How does this program work and how popular is it?

JC: Members can take out DVDs any time they want, for free. Otherwise it’s $3.99 for 5 days but only 99 cents if you buy the book it’s based on. People respond to the display in the store, and it invariably starts conversations that begin with, “I didn’t know this was based on a book…” Which is why we started it, really. It’s most popular in foul weather, for obvious reasons, and members like to take advantage of the free rentals!

AB: Speaking of movies based on books, what would be your top three?

JC: Only three? Very hard.
Up in the Air
Election and Little Children
House of Sand and Fog
See how hard it was to keep it to three?

AB: And, finally, if Jaime Clarke and Mary Cotton were not owning and running an independent bookstore, what would they be doing?

JC: Living in Hollywood, pitching bad script ideas to television executives in sunlit conference rooms.

Photo Sources:
American Booksellers Association
Newtonville Books

A variety of book clubs, a fierce commitment to promoting local authors and a love of finding the perfect something for the vaguely needy reader are just a few of the things that make Fireside Books of Forest City, NC everything an indie bookstore should be. Owner Linda Parks knows as well as anyone the joys of being an indie bookseller, and shared with Atticus Books what it takes to become the kind of community mainstay all indies strive to be. Because, even in the face of the e-book revolution, indies and devout book buyers know that no Kindle or iPad can ever replace the experience provided by a passionate and hardworking bookstore.

Atticus Books:What inspired you to open your own indie bookshop? Was there a lifelong love of books involved (as seems to often be the case) or some other catalyst for Fireside?

Linda Parks: As far back as I can remember I had an interest in owning a gift shop… and most of my working life had involved management and sales in some fashion. When I was at a point in my career where I had spent years working on the fringes of the book industry and our local bookseller decided to sell their business, I knew there was an opportunity to combine my professional experiences, re-brand it as a book and gift shop and see if I could make that particular dream come true!

AB: So, without exaggeration, you can say you’re living your dream! Is there any one part of what you do that brings you the most joy and excitement?

LP: That’s a tough question. There’s so much I love about what I do. The best I can do is narrow it down to a few. I love being involved with our schools and seeing kids excited about what they are reading. I love the partnerships that we’ve been able to build within our community with other small businesses and organizations to combine efforts to help the citizens of Rutherford County. I truly love having had the opportunity to meet so many incredibly talented and nice folks–from the writers to the reps–during the many tradeshows and conferences I’ve attended. I am honored to be able to call them friends. And right now, my love for work is focused on the rehab/re-use of an historic downtown building on Main Street, Forest City for the future location of Fireside in 2011.

AB: As the name suggests, Fireside Books and Gifts isn’t only about bookselling. You also offer unique gifts for both children and adults. Do you see this kind of diversification as important or even essential to success as an independent bookseller?

LP: I see it as absolutely essential given the challenges we have today that didn’t exist for an independent bookseller twenty years ago. Fireside has now been in business 20 years (Happy 20th Anniversary to us!) and has managed to ride the wave of so many changes by being able to expand and adapt. In the past three years, we’ve incorporated an e-commerce website–and yes, e-books too–as well as roughly a 35% increase of our gift and toy lines. These additions–and our reputation for great customer service–have been our defense against the onslaught of big box stores and online super discount shopping sites.

AB: Fireside Books and Gifts hosts frequent book signings and new release events. Obviously, you spend a lot of time working with the authors themselves. Any favorites, or perhaps favorite stories, from your interactions?

LP: Again – how to choose? We’ve met so many wonderful individuals and have been blessed with some super events and sweet memories. I’ve made many lifelong friends through my work at Fireside. Most recently, we partnered with our Rutherford Community Health Council and held a large event at The Foundation’s Performing Arts Center here in Rutherford County. We brought in the writer, director and an actor of The Fat Boy Chronicles–a great book that came out last year and was developed this year into a film which portrays a young man who faces challenges with weight and deals with bullying in school. Our guests–all such great gentlemen–discussed the process with the audience–from story-writing through filming–and then we screened the movie. We had nearly 2,500 students attend, along with educators and community leaders. Fireside’s desire was to bring into focus a local problem, to bring attention to the subjects of bullying and obesity with our county school’s middle graders, and to offer encouragement through the use of a positive story and positive people. Educators received a copy of the book and access to classroom resources online and one school participated in a school-wide reading project. This event in particular was a huge success due to the content, the timing of the focus on these issues, all the wonderful people behind the project and the high level of interest received from our county school administrators.

We have two upcoming events for local author Beth Revis in January. We are hosting the launch party with Penguin at our store for her outstanding young adult novel Across the Universe, a YA science fiction/fantasy title, on Jan.11th , 5-7 pm as well as a school-wide event on Jan. 25th (at the high school where she currently teaches in Cleveland County, NC.)

AB: On your site, you feature a few short trailers for forthcoming novels. These “Fireside Films” suggest an interesting interplay between the printed word and video media- the very fact that we’re now seeing movie-like trailers for printed books is intriguing. As far as crossroads between movies and books go, do you have any books you’re wishing would be made into movies sometime soon? Or any favorites that have been?

LP: I’d love to see Kay Hooper’s Bishop Series go to film. James Hayman’s series would play out well on screen, I think, as well as Carla Buckley’s The Things That Keep Us Here. There are actually quite a few I could mention…. And a few of my favorites are in film negotiations right now–but I have to be mum about those!

As for the interplay–I’d love to see short films, trailers, music videos and various other forms of interactive video content become a standard part of the book promo packaging and purchasing options. I think it enables authors to showcase their particular style and story lines in a highly visible way–enticing readers who might not otherwise walk into a bookstore or purchase a book online.

AB: Not only do you recommend books to your in-store customers, but you maintain a profile on goodreads.com, rating the books you’ve read recently. Is there a certain genre you find yourself recommending most frequently? Which general kinds of literature do you find you can’t keep on the shelves?

LP: Paranormal has been our best seller this year and children’s books are always moving. As for me, I used to be strictly a business or horror type of girl, but I’ve recently discovered that I love all kinds of stories, particularly young adult titles and memoirs.

AB: We’re constantly finding that indie booksellers generally play an enormous and essential role in their local communities. What about Forest City, NC makes it possible for an indie bookseller to thrive in the community?

LP: Definitely the opportunity to partner with schools, businesses and organizations. We are blessed to have some very forward thinking leaders in our community. And being located in western NC–we have a ton of talented writers across our region who we love to support and who love indies and community involvement–so it works very well for us. We’re the only independent bookstore with about 45 minutes in any direction–so that’s a big plus! We have the support of our loyal customers, our school system and the leaders in the community. We also have visitors who travel through on their way to the mountains (or coast) and return year after year. We have been encouraged from the beginning by everyone. No one in my hometown wants to see their local bookstore go away!

If people continue to support these bigger businesses by immediately or constantly giving them business…we will continue to see precious independent booksellers fade away.

AB: Every day we’re hearing more news on the rising popularity of e-books, Kindles, Nooks, etc. How do you see this increased reliance on digital books affecting indie bookstores in the coming years?

LP: This is the thing we’re all talking about but no one wants to talk about it! It’s all kind of scary. You can keep up with the technology–like how we offer downloadable e-books on our website–but you still have to drive the traffic to your site. You still have to compete with the big dogs for the attention and sales. A small indie can hardly afford to run 10 second spots on their local broadcaster, much less place paper ads in every household and be splashed across the TV screen during primetime. It’s more the thought of people allowing the bigger businesses to squash the little guys that scares me–not people’s choice of reading material or device. If people continue to support these bigger businesses by immediately or constantly giving them business (and never checking with a local indie who may have the same goods or service), we will continue to see precious independent booksellers fade away. I absolutely encourage shopping local in your community.

AB: We love that your store functions as a hub for a number of book clubs, including a Civil War Era Book Club! Where do you find the momentum for these clubs to start up and stay active?

LP: I have a great staff at the store! And the book clubs mostly run themselves–we supply reading recommendations, discounts on club titles, a facilitator (if desired) and a quiet meeting place. We encourage customers to form groups and offer any help they need in the process but more often than not, they have so much fun they don’t even know we’re there!

AB: By now, it’s common knowledge that indie bookselling is hard work. But it’s also clearly worth it. What would you say the rewards are, for both yourself and the army of other hardworking indie booksellers out there?

LP: When a child gets lost in the aisles only to be found sitting in the corner–reading a book off the display shelf… When someone calls desperate to remember the title of that beloved book they had as a child, so that they can give it as a gift to their child or grandchild–and we have it on our shelf, like it’s been waiting just for them… When we have that customer who comes in and needs something… but seems kind of lost. When we can have a positive exchange with that person and introduce them to a new author, a series or genre they are completely unfamiliar with and they come back in later, happy, and thank us.

We get to see some of our favorite new authors become super successful mainly due to the efforts of the handsellers in our business–and we see readers so appreciative because we introduced them to some wonderfully talented authors they might otherwise never have heard of in the big box stores or the online shopping world.

Those are just a few of the rewards of being an independent bookseller.

Photo Sources:
Inside Fireside, Marc Fitten’s Indie 100
“I Pledge,” Fireside Books and Gifts FiresideBooksandGifts.com

Atticus Books: We truly believe that being an indie bookseller is a unique and admirable calling. Also, one that usually has an interesting story behind it. When and/or how did owning a bookstore become something you wanted to pursue?

TLC Books: Isn’t every bibliophile’s dream to have a bookstore? It was for me. I’ve been a book rat in bookstores all my life. Doing a marketing degree part time in my previous career–a bookstore was my “fantasy business.” Until one day I realised I could do it for real and set about establishing a bookstore. Now my catch phrase is “it’s only money…”

AB: Visitors to your website will learn that TLC offers not only “mouth-watering food & wine books, gardening, marine, travel & history” and “a comprehensive children’s section,” but also “a great general fiction section including the offbeat and quirky.” Are there any works in particular that you were surprised to see fly off the shelves?

TLC: Truthfully, not really, the books that really fly off the shelves are the books that our staff are passionate about. Not a day goes by in this store without someone picking up a book that we adore, and you convey the story getting excited about the possibility of someone else discovering your little gem, that excitement is infectious and the book finds a new home. That’s how books like Salmon Fishing In The Yemen or Zeitoun are sold.

AB: TLC strives to accomplish that oh-so important indie mission of being much more than a store that sells books. Your impressive collection of bookclubs includes a Fiction, Non-fiction, Young Adult, Armchair Travel Club, and Foodie Bookclub. What has your experience been getting these off the ground? Any advice for other indies looking to do the same?

TLC: Book clubs are great forums and a fantastic way to keep in touch with your customers. At times it is like a circus, with you as ringmaster but always great fun enabling (and moderating) people to discuss ideas, feelings and opinions on the book and the subject matter raised. My advice: Don’t pick a book because you think everyone will love it; pick a book that will provoke, raise questions and inspire emotion. There is nothing worse than a love-fest, the best books promote passionate discussion and enthusiastic debate.

AB: Down at TLC Books, you clearly pride yourselves (as you should!) on being a member of the community—what kind of community projects and events really take off in Manly?

TLC: TLC held a “Bra drive” for Fiji, where people could drop in their used bras to be donated to women on outlying islands in Fiji who did not have the financial ability to buy one. We expected to gather about 500 and ended up with over 4000. That really took off!

We also try to get authors in as frequently as possible and some of our latest success has been with Australian Celebrity Chef Bill Granger and a sold-out dinner which really had the neighbourhood excited and talking. We also always try and have a dedicated children’s event every month; last month we had children’s author Michael Gerard Bauer in as well as young adult author William Kostakis, both very fun events.

AB: And what is it about Manly that makes it such a hospitable home for an indie bookstore? Do you think there’s a special “recipe” or “ingredient” that makes one town or city a better home for an indie bookstore than another?

TLC: I guess a town or suburb that has a community feel about it to begin with, because an indie bookstore is so very much more than an average retail store. Manly is a seaside suburb of Brisbane but was long cut off from the city by an expanse of bushland, so it has that small town feel with all the benefits of being part of a city.

AB: Bookselling also involves a variety of roles. Is there one hat you particularly like to wear? One aspect of the business you find most appealing?

TLC: Hard question! I love it all really–The marketing, the reviewing, talking to customers about books… being a small business owner means I do it all anyway. If I had to choose one? It would probably be the book buying because then I can pretend I am a kid in a candy store.

AB: As rewarding as it is, being an indie bookseller presents unique challenges. What have you found to be the most difficult obstacle to overcome since you opened in 2006?

TLC: Well we’ve had a few… The GFC was certainly a learning curve in frugal business decisions, stock control and careful buying as well a course in optimistic outlooks. At the moment it is eBooks. We are waiting for the introduction of Google Books into the Australian market so that indies can have an eBook platform and I am avidly watching what happens in the US with Google and the indies there.

AB: Not only do you recommend books to curious customers in the shop, but you offer a handful of reviews on the website as well. How in the world does an owner of a bookshop as active as yours find time to consistently write up reviews of new books? And, when doing so, do you find the books you review tend to reflect your own personal tastes and interests, or is there an effort to review books from across all interests/tastes?

TLC: Well, we are always reading so it is just the little bit of extra effort to write down our thoughts and feelings about the book at hand.

Each of the staff has their own ‘pet’ genres and the books we love personally, and with all of the staff it evens out the genre coverage. We have a staff review database, so any book read by a staff member goes in the database and we share the knowledge. The reviews are VERY honest, hilariously so sometimes. For the reviews we post on Facebook and the website, we simply then lift from our database!

AB: As the Christmas season approaches, or rather, forges ahead, what is TLC doing to celebrate with its customers?
Each year at the start of December we have a Christmas Book release party with lots of fun, wine and nibbles on the night – the whole shop discounted by 10% and complimentary gift wrapping – it is always a great night. For the bookclubs we have a combined Christmas party, this year we went “barefoot bowling” and all brought along a copy of our favourite book to share. The Young Adult Bookclub is going to the movies (they don’t mix with anyone over 20…) and also sharing their favourite books.

AB: We’re guessing that the owner of an indie bookstore has more than a few books on her wishlist, but if you could only ask for three this year, what would they be and why?

TLC: Ack! Errrr… hardest question ever. I would love Heston Blumenthal’s Fantastic Feasts Special Limited Edition, Keith Richard’s ‘Life’ and the special cover edition of “The Secret Garden” designed by Lauren Child (sooo pretty).

Photo Sources:
Manly Bay, RealEstate.com
The Secret Garden, Small Acorns

Atticus Books: First, congrats on doing the unthinkably courageous and inspired thing: opening an indie bookstore. What was the road like that led you to opening a bookshop? What did you do before and how do you think those experiences motivated/inspired you to be an indie bookseller?

Janet Geddis: I’ve been a bookworm my whole life, something that almost every bookseller would say. Since starting college in the late 90s, I‘ve had a seemingly endless stream of book-related jobs—I’ve worked as an editor, a writer, a literacy advocate, a tutor, a teacher, and a storyteller (among other things). I was consistently attracted to jobs that connected me to books and community, but it wasn’t until a few years ago that I realized that my joke answer to that Big Question (“What do you want to do with your life?”) was not actually a joke: I wanted to own a bookstore. This job allows me to do all the things I’m passionate about: I can help people find the joy in reading, I can help people find the right books for them, I can participate in community initiatives, I can contribute to the betterment of my city, I can plan events, I can be a social butterfly, and I can incorporate something new and creative into my work every day.

AB: Why Athens, Georgia? What about this town just screamed to you “GIVE US AN INDIE BOOKSTORE PLEASE!!!”?

JG: I moved here for graduate school in 2004 a few months after the last indie selling new books closed. We have a good used bookstore downtown but, in my mind, the Athens community was missing a bookstore that played a more active role in the community and sold new books. During the Paz & Associates Opening a Bookstore Workshop last year, our class learned about what type of place would best support an independent bookstore. Does the city/town have a strong library system? A university? Small business support? The list went on and on, and the answer to every question about Athens was a resounding yes. Since that workshop, I’ve conducted several market research surveys and have found that our community is counting down the days ’til Avid Bookshop opens—people have missed having a bookstore culture that accurately reflects the literary, artsy vibe of this town.

AB: Obviously (and we’re quite sure you’re already well aware of this fact) opening a brand new independent bookstore requires a ton of work and requires you to send out your attention in about a million different directions. Is there any part of this endeavor that you’ve found surprisingly difficult or daunting?

JG: The pre-opening timeline is driving me bonkers! Starting out, I had no earthly idea it would take this long! Since the fall of 2007 (when I decided to open a store), I’ve had my business partner back out of our plans and have watched the economy fall apart. Both of these factors affected my funding situation (and therefore my timeline), but I kept my game face on and, with the support of family and friends, have saved more money in the last couple of years than in the 28 years that came before.

AB: On a happier note, what were you warned about that you were pleased to find has come easily?

JG: I was daunted by all the paperwork involved—how to make a business plan and financial projections? How to open accounts, acquire business licenses, file sales tax reports and keep up with bills? So far all the nitpicky paperwork has been fairly easy, and I wonder why exactly it freaked me out and had me dragging my feet for awhile.

AB: Not only does opening a bookshop take time, effort and enthusiasm (which we’re happy to see you’ve got in abundance!), but it ain’t exactly free. How are you reaching out to raise funds and how has the response been?

JG: I sell books online, at special events, at occasional gift fairs, and via consignment agreements at a couple of local shops—this brings in a little bit of cash and gets my bookstore name out there. I’ve been contributing a certain portion of my editing salary to the bookstore each month, and that has really added up.

A significant chunk of my funding has come from people who believe in my dream and want to see it happen. My two main fundraisers were a photography show earlier this year (to raise funds for a website—I’m happy to report that I made my goal within three hours!) and an IndieGoGo.com crowdfunding campaign (which brought me nearly $2,000).

It’s impossible to describe how supportive people have been—I received new books from publishers, significant donations from authors whom I’ve never met, positive press from people who wanted to share my story, furniture from friends, piles upon piles of books from Athenians whom I barely know, and many more tangible and intangible things. My method was certainly atypical—I started spreading the word about my store long before I even knew where all my funding would come from—but it was effective in creating buzz and fostering a sense of bookstore community.

AB: As part of your effort to ready yourself for the joy of bookselling, you offered your services as an intern at other bookshops. Could you tell us which bookshops you got the inside scoop on? Were there any particular aspects to these shops that made you stop and think “That is something I want for Avid”?

JG: Now that I understand how bookstores operate, I’m even more grateful to my friends who let me spend time in their stores—it’s hard to have an extra person getting in the way, especially when you have to explain everything to her as you go. Jeff McCord and Jef Blocker at Bound to Be Read Books in Atlanta have been incredibly generous with their time and talents; I spent a few days working there in late 2009. Anne and Laura DeVault at Over the Moon Bookstore & Artisan Gallery invited me into their homes so that I could help them open their business in late spring 2010—seeing it go from the ground up was immensely helpful and inspiring. Of course there are the scores of other booksellers who invited me to their stores for tours and encouraged me to ask questions—Mitchell Kaplan (Books & Books, Miami), Stephanie Anderson and Christine Onorati (WORD, Brooklyn), Dave Shallenberger (Little Shop of Stories, Decatur, GA), Kelly Justice (Fountain Bookstore, Richmond), Rich Rennicks (Malaprop’s, Asheville) and Jon Tonge (Dog Ear Books, formerly in Madison, GA but now in Athens) come to mind, though if I took more time I could probably go on for pages.

Over the last few years I’ve learned that successful booksellers often borrow ideas from each other, molding those ideas to fit their particular stores and customers. I could probably tell you a million things I’ve seen at other stores that made me think either, “What a fabulous idea! I never thought of that!” or “How cool! I already have that on my list of things to do at Avid!” Mostly I’m attracted to how great booksellers interact with their customers and how they are constantly thinking of ways to improve their selection, store layout, and events schedule.

AB: So, a huge part of Avid’s existence (and its success) is going to be community events. Can you let us in on the kinds of things you have planned? Any events already in the works?

JG: I have a couple of upcoming events in the near future and a handful of successful events under my belt. Last month, the Unchained Tour of Georgia stopped in Athens for a day, and I was the Athens coordinator. In addition to the evening show (featuring fire-throwers, a donation-only bar, a book sale, musicians, and award-winning storytellers from The Moth), I put together an afternoon storytelling event at the Jittery Joe’s Coffee Roaster. We had a fiddler, a juggler, hula hoopers, two local storytellers/writers, and a Moth storyteller. The crowd was standing room only. It was such a blast, and I keep hearing that people want me to put together something like that again soon.

My friends keep telling me not to show all my cards (though it’s hard not to, as I am so enthusiastic about what I have planned for Avid), so I’ll take their advice for once and not spend the next hour giving you an overview of the events I have planned. Suffice it to say I’m feeling pretty good about what we have lined up and am eager to see what other ideas pop up along the way.

AB: Last year, you were awarded a scholarship to the American Booksellers Association Winter Institute 5. For those who don’t know, what is the ABA Winter Institute? What did you get out of this experience? How important is it for booksellers to constantly educate themselves via these kinds of institutes and conferences?

JG: Winter Institute is a three-day educational conference for independent booksellers. Before flying to San Jose for Wi5, I couldn’t imagine that it would hold a candle to SIBA (Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance trade show) or BEA (Book Expo America), two events I adore. Boy, was I ever wrong. Winter Institute was made up of the most invigorating, empowering workshops and discussions. Connecting with other booksellers (especially those that are so very interested in continually updating their stores in order to adapt to a changing marketplace and changing customer) is the highlight of the event. I can’t imagine jumping into this business without having a network of book industry contacts to rely on for advice and conversation. Traveling to conferences can be expensive, of course, and there’s no way I would have been able to go to Wi5 were I not awarded the AMA Emerging Leaders scholarship. Despite the cost, I hope that bookstores continue to send booksellers to these conferences—the strength of the friendships and connections made will more than offset the cost of travel.

AB: It seems safe to bet that as word has spread about the opening of Avid Bookshop, truckloads of advice (both solicited and not) have been coming to you from other booksellers, business people, friends, family, etc. Out of this plethora of well-intentioned nuggets of wisdom, is there one that’s served you better than the rest?

JG: I’m not sure if the following story contains the best advice I’ve gotten, but it certainly is the advice I think of nearly every day. I was upset one day last year and complained that it seemed as if some of my loved ones weren’t taking my dream seriously, that they weren’t supporting me in this as much as they support my other endeavors. My cousin told me (in so many words): “Janet, you’ve got to remember that this is your baby. This is your dream, not theirs. Just keep working at it without worrying about what they think. I bet they’ll come around.”

It’s hard to dedicate so many hours a day to this only to find out that relatives and friends are buying off of Amazon instead of off my store’s website. It’s hard to realize that my good friends aren’t going to be able to make it to most events I host. But it’s important to remember what my cousin said: this is my dream, not theirs. I hope that the longer I work at it, the better I’ll be at educating people as to why shopping at my store is different from shopping at Amazon. I’ll be able to give my doubtful friends a tour of the store and let them see this labor of love—I can only hope they’ll come around.

Photo Sources:
Janet Geddis, by Charles-Ryan Barber at Flagpole
Athens, Road Hug
Avid Bookshop, AvidBookshop.com

Atticus Books: Right off the bat, anyone visiting your store or website can feel the very unique, indie vibe. What would you say is the aim or mission statement of Atomic Books? How is it distinct (which it most certainly is) from other indie bookstores in the area?

Atomic Books: Well, our motto has always been “Literary finds for mutated minds!” so we try to adhere to that. We come from a solid DIY foundation, so we are very interested in, and carry a lot of, DIY publications–zines, comics, self-published books, etc. We are a curated bookstore, and our inventory is based largely on the tastes of the people who work at the store, and also many of our customers. Frequently, a customer will say, “You should check out this publication,” so we do and end up carrying it. The most recent example of that would be Tom Tom Magazine–an all-female drummer magazine. So when you come into Atomic Books, you are walking into a curated collection of publications that reflect the interests of those involved on some level with the store–and that character is immediately noticeable.

We were one of the first bookstores to treat graphic novels and comics with the same respect that works of fiction or literary journals are used to. We also mix our more adult fare in with the rest of our titles. While we enjoy making categories for books, we’re not big on segregating titles based on arbitrary social mores–personally, I see no difference if you are into crocheting or Japanese rope bondage. We have categories in the store like Monster Lit, Hail Satan, The God Problem, The Bush Disaster, Stories for Disturbed Children, etc.

Atticus: Any story behind the name?

Atomic: Not really. Atomic Books was started by my friend Scott Huffines. He ran the store until 2000 when his affinity for betting on the ponies caught up with him. Rachel Whang (my partner) and I were fans of the store and realized we didn’t want to live in a city without an Atomic Books, so we took it over.

Atticus: It seems like Atomic Books is constantly hosting killer events at the store. Book signings are a given, but could you tell us about the non-book events that go on in the store? Any recent big hits?

Atomic: We have a variety of things going on in the store quite often. In a way, since it’s filled with all our favorite things, it’s almost like our clubhouse. If you come by after hours, there’s a good chance you’ll find us playing video on our projection system. But we host things like Vinylmore–an annual DIY art toy show which usually has about 50 to 75 local area artists. Our opening night usually pulls in about 400 or so people. Offsite we used to host a popular, annual “I Hate The Eighties Night” with a bunch of Baltimore bands covering bad ‘80s music. We also have clubs like a book club, a music club, a movie club, etc.

Atticus: For those that don’t know, Baltimore is such a different kind of city. Very eclectic, a little left of center. Are there any traits particular to B-more that you find make it an ideal home for an indie bookstore like yours?

Atomic: Well, Baltimore is a city of weirdos, and we’re a weirdo bookstore. Baltimore produced John Waters, and he comes to our store so often he has his mail delivered here. Baltimore is a town that embraces the quirk and shuns mean judgmentalism–and that mentality is in our store’s DNA. In Baltimore, you can’t take yourself too seriously because, well, you’re in Baltimore. The same goes for Atomic Books.

Atticus: Not only is Baltimore unique, its residents are even more so. To put it as cheerily as possible, what makes your customers special?

Atomic: Our customers are looking for a place that understands and respects who they are by understanding and respecting what they’re into–whether that be body modification, sploshing or black metal. If you can walk through our store and laugh or be fascinated by the things you’ll find, you’re our people. If you start to get mad and your face turns red, we’ll gladly hold the door open for you on the way out.

Atticus: Aside from offering a ton of books and “gift-y” items, you do a pretty good magazine trade. How is dealing in magazines or even comic books different than the (for most booksellers) more familiar book market? In what ways does this diversification contribute to the store’s atmosphere and/or success?

Atomic: It doesn’t strike me as that big of a diversification. Again, we are about carrying things that we like to read (and other ephemera that catches our attention). If that thing happens to be a magazine, a comic book or a novel, we don’t really see much difference. The way magazines are handled, business-wise, is different than books, which is different than comics, which is different than zines and self-published mini-comics, which is different than LPs and CDs…but it comes down to it, we like magazines, so we carry magazines–specifically ones we read or want to read.

Atticus: We couldn’t help but notice that much of the material you stock is, on your website, labeled as “our favorite” or what “we like,” especially when it comes to music and movies. This raises an interesting question–should indie booksellers be catering to a prospective “audience” or are you of a “if you build it, they will come” mentality?

Atomic: Again, we’re about carrying what we like. We want to help spread around the things we like, and connect to others who are into the same things. The chances are good that if you like, for example, the book Songs in the Key of Z, you’re probably going to be curious about the music of Daniel Johnston. If you are into serial killers, you may be interested in Charles Manson’s records. If you like Noam Chomsky, you might like the documentary version of his book “Manufacturing Consent.” These things are all connected in our minds, regardless of the medium.

Atticus: One trend your stock represents well is this widespread obsession with zombies, vampires, androids, etc. What do you make of it? Is it just a fad, or is “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies” here to stay?

Atomic: Zombies and vampires have been with us for decades, and they’re not going anywhere. That’s the thing about the undead, they tend to linger. There certainly is a glut of it, and gluts tend to squelch trends faster than a fire department can put out a fire (well, the sorts of fire departments that don’t require you to buy fire insurance before they’ll put out your house fire, anyway). But it’s still going, and it has been for a long time. A good friend of mine is a Professor at University of Maryland and he’s even teaching a zombie course this summer, so who knows? I think the “classic lit + super natural undead being” trend is played out. But then, I thought werewolves (the lamest of all the supernatural creatures) trend had no legs and it seems to be doing nicely, so what do I know? I think people, given the economic and political climate of the modern world, are understandably fascinated by apocalyptic literature and I think it’s popularity will stick around at least as long as this economic crisis does.

Atticus: Baltimore is the home of a number of literary greats, from Edgar Allan Poe to Anne Tyler to Ogden Nash. What’s the scene like nowadays, as far as writers currently active in the Baltimore literary landscape?

Atomic: Baltimore has a vibrant literary scene. There are a number of reading series popping up–we even host one–The Atomic Fiction Series. But writers like Michael Kimball, Jessica Anya Blau, Larry Doyle, Stephen Dixon, Madison Smartt Bell, Laura Lippman, and David Simon, in addition to a small army of younger writers currently self-publishing, make for a thriving literary scene. Not to mention, John Waters just scored a hit with his great book, Role Models. There are a lot of quality writers doing a lot of interesting things in Baltimore–but in order for a literary scene to survive, you need readers too. And fortunately, Baltimore has that.

Atticus: We’re intrigued by rumors of the store’s flirtation with the possibility of a reality TV show a few years back. If the show had materialized, what kind of program do you think we’d be seeing? Of course, no reality show is complete without a healthy dose of drama. What do you think would serve as the biggest source of conflict in a bookstore reality show?

Atomic: We did work on a pilot for a reality show, and there was, we were told, some interest, but no one ever picked it up. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you look at it), there’s not a lot of conflict in the store, as we all get along very well. I guess, given time, I could have become the Snookie of Atomic Books. But the idea of our TV show was more like a variety show with interviews. We have a number of famous customers, many of whom regularly pass through town on tour with their bands, etc. So the idea was to have a reality show set in Atomic Books, where they film us talking to specific customers about why they’re into the sorts of things they’re into (“So tell us, Ms. Movie Star, why do you like Jeffrey Brown comics?”), running in-store events, and going out into Baltimore to enjoy stuff going on in the city, like when Crispin Glover came to host a screening of one of his movies, or when our friend Dan Deacon is organizing Whartscape. So it was kind of like this reality/variety show hybrid.

Atticus: Obviously, a lot of planning, time and hard work go into maintaining a store as popular and active as Atomic Books. What’s the biggest perk that compensates for all this hard work?

Atomic: Opening the mail. Whenever we get our daily shipments in, it feels like my birthday. And then I get to share that stuff with the friends who come to Atomic. That’s really what it’s all about for me–sharing the things I find awesome with people who will also find those things awesome (or find them not awesome and then be able to discuss it with me).

Photo Source: Atomic Books

Atticus Books: How did you end up with this apparent dream life, living and selling books with your wife on one of the most beautiful vacation spots in the country? Is there a “jump ship and follow your dreams” story somewhere behind this? Or was owning and running a bookstore something you’ve always thought about pursuing?

Sundial Books: My wife, Jane, and I came to Chincoteague for vacation in 2004 and fell in love with the Island. We ended up buying an old fisherman’s cottage a year later, thinking it would be a vacation rental for about 15 years until we were ready to retire. However, every time we came down to Chincoteague, it got harder to leave. We kept saying that if we could find a way to make a living here, we would move in a heartbeat.

As it turned out, I knew the owner of what was then a used/antiquarian bookstore on the Island. She had owned stores in northern Virginia in the past and I had been a customer of hers there. We reconnected when Jane and I started spending time in Chincoteague. Just before Thanksgiving in 2006, she called us, said she was ready to retire and wanted to know if we wanted to buy the bookstore. Jane and I started talking about it and decided it was worth considering. We talked to a lot of people, crunched some numbers, thought hard about whether we were ready to completely change our lives and decided to do it.

We are both avid readers and liked the idea of being entrepreneurs. Earlier in her career, Jane had been a school librarian and I had owned and managed music stores. A few months later, we packed up, moved, put our house in Alexandria, VA on the market and have never looked back.

AB: You and your wife are blessed as far as location goes, given the beauty, character and history of Chincoteague. How does the culture and lifestyle of Chincoteague help shape the character of the bookshop?

SB: Chincoteague is a very unique place. It’s a working town as well as a beautiful vacation spot. There is an active arts community. Visitors are often attracted to the old time charm of the town and the natural beauty of Assateague Island – and are generally the type of people who appreciate books and music. In addition, much of Chincoteague’s fame came as a result of the publication of a book – Misty of Chincoteague by Marguerite Henry – in 1947. Needless to say, Misty is our biggest selling title! We also have a large inventory of local and regional books that are popular with visitors to the Island. But we also maintain a varied collection to meet the needs of the readers who live here year round.

AB: To flip that question around, in what ways do you, as a bookseller, strive to shape the culture and character of the community? Is there a certain kind of community outreach or involvement that you find most entertaining or effective?

SB: We have always viewed the book store as a gathering place for people to browse books, listen to new music, talk about current events and just relax. We have a fairly busy schedule of book signings and live music to help connect authors, readers, and musicians together. We have hosted book signings for quite a number of local and regional authors and have many live music events with local artists. We believe that promoting local authors, artists and musicians is an important component of our shop.

AB: Sundial Books has been called “one of the cornerstones of activity” in Chincoteague’s “very active cultural and social scene.” Any particular events or traditions that you find draw a crowd time and time again?

SB: Live music always brings people in. We have started sponsoring a monthly ‘back porch music jam’ with both local folks and visitors bringing instruments and singing along. Our book signings and poetry readings are also popular. Jane and I are also active in the local Chincoteague Cultural Alliance and help promote many of their events through our shop.

AB: Are there any specific challenges that arise as a result of the area being such a vacation spot? Or perhaps, any special perks that come with the territory?

SB: Our busy times are different than those of many other bookstores. Our peak sales are June through August, whereas many stores have their biggest sales in November and December. Vendors often offer pre-holiday specials to encourage stores to stock up for the holiday sales but most won’t work for us. There are also some distinct differences in the reading tastes of visitors at different times of the year. For example, we have many more sales of children’s books during the summer and more sales of ‘collectible’ books for fall visitors.

AB: We love the idea of you and your wife working together in this book business. Any tips for other entrepreneurs whose business partner also happens to be their spouse?

SB: We’re together pretty much 24/7 so we have to like each other for it to work. We each have our areas of expertise in that I’m more the salesperson and marketer and Jane keeps us organized and handles the financial and technical ends of the business. We also have the same vision for the store and for our lives as small business owners. That’s a really critical component of a successful partnership.

AB: On your website, you say that you offer “old-fashioned customer service.” What does this mean for the customers who frequent Sundial Books? Perhaps another way to put this would be: what do you provide as an indie bookseller that the bigger guys can’t?

SB: We get to know most of our customers and suggest books that we think they might like. It’s not at all unusual for us to set aside some new acquisition with a particular customer in mind. We hand pick all of our books. Either Jane or I have made a decision about every item that comes into the shop and we choose a variety of items that we think our customers will enjoy. We also get great suggestions from our customers and add them to the shelves. When someone comes into our shop, they are greeted by an owner and fellow book lover.

A great story happened while I was answering these questions. A young girl came in with her parents. They had been to our shop during other annual vacations and were browsing around the store and talking with us. The girl stopped in front of one of our glass display cases and was mesmerized by something inside. She gave a little whoop and called to her Dad that her book was in the case. Apparently, she had collected all kinds of books and replicas of Misty and her descendents. The book in the case was written by a protégé of Marguerite Henry about one of Misty’s grandchildren and has been out of print for several years. The author left the one remaining hardback copy here for us to sell when she was here this summer. The young customer was so excited about finding the book that we called the author in California so she could have a short conversation with her. We develop relationships with authors and with customers and it’s always fun when we can connect them together. This is the kind of thing that happens in an Indie store.

AB: Recently, you’ve been able to expand your store into a new, larger building on Main Street. Clearly, your endeavor has grown and matured over the years. What events or achievements do you look back on as landmarks of your store’s success?

SB: We feel very fortunate to have had the chance to move into our current space. We started out in two adjacent buildings and now have everything in one space, which makes it much easier – both for us and for our customers. The ‘new’ building is 100 years old and has great light, a good feel and lots of different spaces – stair landings, an enclosed back porch, a reading alcove with comfy wicker chairs – to house the books. Customers can wander around and browse – or check out the view of the Chincoteague Channel out the back windows. It’s a wonderful space for a bookstore.

We’ve worked very hard at making the business successful. Many of the shops on Chincoteague are seasonal but we’re open all year. We’ve gotten involved in local organizations and understand that we have a responsibility as business owners to the town and to the visitors who come here for vacation.

AB: Word on the street is you co-host a fabulous radio show called “The Bucket List: Songs You Have to Hear Before You Kick the Bucket.” If you had a “bucket list” of, say, five books to read to before you die, what would they be, and why?

SB: I’ve always hated lists like these. The answer changes from day to day. But here are five that come to mind at the moment because of the timeless stories they tell.

Grapes of Wrath – John Steinbeck
To Kill a Mockingbird – Harper Lee
Kim – Rudyard Kipling
The Little Prince –Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Sherlock Holmes – Arthur Conan Doyle

AB: Last but not least, any tips for the other indie booksellers out there, or the would-be literary entrepreneur?

SB: Be prepared for a 24/7 job. We love what we do but it’s about far more than reading books and listening to music. Owning a small business in this economy is hard. You need creativity and some financial reserves to see you through the slow patches. In addition to online and big box booksellers, we’re now dealing with e-books. There’s a constant learning curve. If you’re up for a challenge, it’s a great way to make a living.

As part of this effort to introduce, enshrine, and indulge these tireless entrepreneurs, we’re introducing the first in a series of exclusive interviews with indie booksellers on the front line. By picking their minds and hearts, we hope to provoke interest and insight into all aspects of the trade, from the mundane to the visionary.

First on the list is Donna Allen, owner of the legendary Maple Street Book Shop, New Orleans’ home for independent thought and excellent books since 1964 (making it the oldest indie in the city!). A former history professor and current book enthusiast, Donna shared with us the incredibly unique and admirable nature of a bookseller’s life in one of America’s most eclectic cities.

Maple Street Book Shops’ one sentence mission statement… is to provide our customers with friendly and knowledgeable service to fulfill their literary needs.

An indie bookseller succeeds when… they meet and exceed the expectations of their customer base.

Being an independent bookseller in New Orleans… is never boring. In comparison to other American cities, we have a very unique atmosphere; one that often inspires creativity in people. Writers are but one of the many groups that have contributed to our rich cultural heritage. In turn, Maple Street Book Shops heavily support local writers and their work. As the oldest independent bookstore in town, we are honored to be part, albeit a small part, of the history and culture of this great city.

Compared to the university teaching you’ve done, how does owning a bookshop compare?
While I don’t have many opportunities these days to lecture hour upon hour about the Roman Empire, there is one major similarity between teaching and owning a bookstore. The amount of paperwork involved with both professions – who knew that there would be so much paperwork involved with owning a bookstore.

Bookselling as a career… is truly a labor of love. One does not enter this profession to make tons of money.

Your dream employee… would have to be John Kennedy Toole. His “Confederacy of Dunces” remains a top seller at Maple Street Book Shops – thirty years after publication. If he worked for me, I would have him sign each and every one of his books. Also, his last place of residence before his suicide was around the corner from the shop – very convenient.

A bookshop’s relationship with the community…
Indie bookstores are very important to a community for several reasons. First, they are locally owned and operated, which means a greater percentage of the money stays within the community. Indie bookstores also act as a community gathering spot. Book club meetings, author appearances, readings and signings, and events for children are held on a regular basis and all are free and open to the public. Therefore, bookstores are more than just a supplier of books. We (Maple Street Book Shops) are honored to be part of the New Orleans community for the past 45 years – on to the next 45 years!

The biggest obstacle facing indie booksellers today… is the threat of price slashing by large chain stores (i.e. Barnes & Noble, Borders, Target, Wal-Mart). Indies simply can’t afford to continuously sustain deep discounts.

The best kind of customer…is a satisfied customer. Satisfied customers often become repeat customers.

And the worst…is the one that you can’t satisfy, no matter what you do.

Your growing popularity on Facebook and Twitter…helps us to expand our demographics, especially to areas outside of the city. The sites help to introduce us to like-minded people around the globe. Additionally, we have numerous New Orleanians that have yet to return since Katrina, following us on both sites.

Recommending books… is what separates us from the large chains. We enjoy taking the time to learn about our customers and their reading preferences. As a result, we are better prepared to serve their future needs.

The book that you wish sold well but doesn’t… is actually a series of books published by Harvard – The Loeb Classics Series (both Greek and Latin). In the past four years, I’ve sold no more than 5 books from the series.

The Amazon Kindle… thankfully, has yet to become popular with our customers.

If Barnes & Noble has a meltdown… I plan on throwing a HUGE party!