Host: Donna Paz Kaufman Notes: Sara from Charis (Atlanta) and Ryan (Open Book in Chicago) shared their structures, how they evolved and how they work best. Charis has several entities: a for-profit bookstore and two no-profit initiatives. What general booksellers consider author events are considered programs. Open Book is 100% non-profit. Bookstore revenues help fulfill… Continue reading Non-profit models for bookstores
Category: Bookselling as a Profession
How can bookstores leverage the market for independent/small-press books to be more inclusive in connecting readers and authors?
Host: Vanessa MacLaren-Wray Participants: Charlie Kruse, Dick (VisionWorks), Humaira Ghilzae, Christopher Miya (Heyday), Madi Mulluen (libro) Notes: Our group successfully posed a lot of good questions, though not so many answers. Mainly, we learned that there’s a will to connect small-press/indie-pub books with indie bookstores and a need for creativity and awareness of constraints on… Continue reading How can bookstores leverage the market for independent/small-press books to be more inclusive in connecting readers and authors?
How can we shift indie bookstores from a commodity offering to a “category of one” by creating one or more Grand Slam Offers?
Host: Jill Hendrix Participants: BradleyJones/ Morgan Hill Bookstore in CA, woman from Berrett Koehler, Carol from BookPeople, a couple of latecomers Notes: Inspired by book $100M Offers by Alex Hormozi Books are commodities that are easily price-shopped. With chains/online/ebooks, indie bookstores no longer have book monopolies in their communities. How do we get that back… Continue reading How can we shift indie bookstores from a commodity offering to a “category of one” by creating one or more Grand Slam Offers?
How can cooperative ownership (worker and/or consumer) provide an alternative to traditional economic models?
Host: Roy Karp at Rozzie Bound (Boston, MA) (roy@rozziebound.com) Participants: Suzanna, Amanda, Charlie, Kristin Hall, Beth, Nathan, Kristen, Esme, Jamilah, Rebecca, Hannah, Stephanie Heinz Notes: Introductions – popcorn Roy – Rozzie Bound, aspiring cooperative in Boston Jamillah – House of Page, worker-owned bookstore in Georgia ? Rebecca – Rediscover Books, looking to become a coop… Continue reading How can cooperative ownership (worker and/or consumer) provide an alternative to traditional economic models?
How can indie bookstores get the kind of public support that libraries, etc. get to alleviate the financial burdens?
Host: Tanya Mills Participants: Eileen McGervey, Diana Montano, Robert Martin, Joan Griffin McCabe, Veronica Liu, Andy Hunter (John Mutter, Pam Grange, Kevin Smokler, Ethan Nosowsky, Aziza stopped by) Notes: Are there “grants” that bookstores can apply for that are similar to the kind of support themselves like libraries? Asking Veronica: wondering about founding of Word… Continue reading How can indie bookstores get the kind of public support that libraries, etc. get to alleviate the financial burdens?
What is the work of a professional bookseller?
Host: Clancey D’Isa Notes: Clancey D’Isa: What is the work of a professional bookseller? How might we narrate this work both inside and outside of our industry? If the future of bookselling might include a consideration of the cultural and community oriented aspect of bookselling, how might we name that work? How too might we make… Continue reading What is the work of a professional bookseller?
Bookstore Unions
Host: Nicole @ Oblong Books Participants: John @ Cavalier House Books Notes: Why do bookstore owners fear unions? Can they be useful in keeping booksellers long-term? Part of larger overall conversation about sustainability + investment in community / booksellers Unions can be useful for any bookstore with several full-time employees; don’t inherently clash with ideas… Continue reading Bookstore Unions
Can we create a funding model that exists outside of traditional lending institutions and does not rely solely upon increased profit margins?
Host: BrocheAroe Fabian, River Dog Book Co. broche@riverdogbookco.com Participants: Bruce DeLaney, Rediscovered Bookstore, Clare Doornbos, bookseller, Mr. Mopps, Eric Besner, Fable, Julia, Vroman’s & Book Soup, Sandi, Book Dragon, Billie Bloebaum, Bill Densmore, Nilaja Biggs, Rebecca Fitting, Greenlight, Nicole Brinkley, Tom, New Story Community Bookstore Notes: Arts Council? Seed grants/maintenance grants Private funding, VC model,… Continue reading Can we create a funding model that exists outside of traditional lending institutions and does not rely solely upon increased profit margins?
How do we create a living wage model?
Host: Jamie Fiocco Participants: Eileen Dengler, NAIBA; Nina Bennett, Bookends Beginnings, Timothy Daudelin, Pendragon Books, Jim Bean, Anthology, Rebecca Fitting, Greenlight Bookstores Notes: How do we create living wages with pre-priced merch and slim margins? No consensus among booksellers on pricing books themselves. Stores: time / effort to price every book. What do they price it… Continue reading How do we create a living wage model?
How do we make space for historically underrepresented folx in bookselling, either as booksellers or as bookstore owners?
Host: Jhoanna Belfer, Bel Canto Books Participants: Jhoanna Belfer, Kelly Stromberg Notes: Reach out to local nonprofits/government/affinity groups to talk to them about bookselling, professional development, job creation programs. Reach out to school PTAs to connect directly with schools for literacy fairs and other partnerships. Look at Neighborhood House in St. Paul, Minnesota to see… Continue reading How do we make space for historically underrepresented folx in bookselling, either as booksellers or as bookstore owners?
Reimagining Bookstores 