Retail security experts have long said there are three sources why inventory disappears … external theft, internal theft, and errors. Physical inventories not only help a retailer confirm what’s on hand and in what quantities, it also helps get a … Continue reading →

It’s summer and that means time for vacation. Even though we have a permanent staff schedule, each week the schedule feels like a bowl of spaghetti with shift swaps happening left and right. With our bookstore bistro we have further … Continue reading →

People seemed surprised to see us in New York City last week for BookExpo. With our own new bookstore just a bit over 3 months old, we did feel a bit like new parents leaving an infant for the first … Continue reading →

Bookselling is a unique profession in so many ways, but one that truly stands out is just how many people dream of having their own bookstore. We’re talking people spending years visualizing their bookstore, identifying books they’ll sell, and dreaming … Continue reading →

When you’re planning a business, your thoughts are filled with dreams and ideas. It’s fun to think about what you’ll carry, who will shop at the store, and what people will want to buy. These become the foundations of the … Continue reading →

Once your dream becomes reality, you have made a stark right turn. Your vision is now central to your “To Do Today” list. You go from thinking about things in a general way to making them actually happen. We’ve now … Continue reading →

We’ve been wearing roller skates for months as first there was so much to do to launch the bookstore, now we’ve focused on shifting to organizing daily operations. Every day is over-flowing with things to do. Mark and I have … Continue reading →

This past Monday, we submitted our large opening order to our wholesaler and a second order to a remainder dealer (for bargain books). The volume count just topped 11,000 and there will be a last minute order to catch the … Continue reading →

We’re not thinking about ebooks here (ebook sales have plateaued and have been on decline for many months), but information technology as it powers bookstore operations. Our dining room is transformed into our central area for setting up and learning … Continue reading →

With Small Business Saturday the perfect opportunity to remind people of your start-up and the importance of small business to the local economy, why not do a pop-up shop? Start-ups do pop-ups for a variety of reasons, mostly for visibility … Continue reading →