Valuable Lessons Learned at Booksellers School

Although the two dozen graduates of last week's Paz & Associates workshop, "Opening a Bookstore: The Business Essentials," had a wide range of bookselling experience, or lack thereof, each found participation in the program an invaluable experience. The workshop on Amelia Island, near Jacksonville, Florida, offered something for everyone, including booksellers whose stores opened very recently, others who wanted a refresher after having been away from the business for a number of years, and a geographically diverse group of people planning to open their stores soon.

Donna Paz, who runs the programs with her husband, Mark Kaufman, impressed on attendees that bookselling is a complicated business involving advanced information technology and sound financial planning.

Participants in the Amelia Island workshop with Mark Kaufman and Donna Paz (in the foreground) and ABA's Len Vlahos and Avin Mark Domnitz (at the far left). Click for larger image.

Mariposa, California's Gary Colliver gave the program high praise. "[The week was] fantastic -- beyond my expectations," he told BTW. His store, Windows on the World --Books and Art, will open later than his initial target date in August, in part because of some of the information acquired during the workshop.

"Based on what I learned," Colliver said, "I'm slowing down my start-up schedule a bit. I'm most definitely going to go with the one of the top POS/inventory management systems, and will probably have [Paz Associates] do my interior store design."

Although Colliver found the financial discussions "sobering," he said, "I left the school with increased enthusiasm, my head bursting with new ideas."

Sara Beahler, who plans to open Prairie Moon Books, in Sheldon, Iowa, in late 2007, said that she was relieved to learn that, although she would not make millions of dollars as a bookseller, "[the program] gave me confidence that this is feasible -- I can do this."

A recent emigre from Nebraska to Iowa, Beahler said, "I realized the importance of marketing and researching the needs of the community. [Sheldon] is a community of 5,000, with no bookstore for an hour in any direction."

In stark contrast is Nicole Furrer's chosen location of Brooklyn, New York, which has a population of roughly 2.5 million people. Her plan, she told BTW, is to open sometime in the next year in one of Brooklyn's family-oriented neighborhoods, such as Clinton Hill. "Right now, I'm using the name Pulp, but that could change," she said. "I'm really planning for the store to be a center for community activities and events -- to make it the 'third place' to be, after home and work. I'm super glad I went [to the workshop], I've never worked in a bookstore before," Furrer, a law school graduate, said.

She, as well as others, commented on the efficacy of having vendors, wholesalers, and suppliers who participated in the workshop describe their products and answer questions. "We could take a close look at the computer stuff," Furrer explained, "and people there answered basic questions, like where do the books actually come from."

At an evening reception sponsored by the American Booksellers Association, the prospective and new booksellers had an opportunity to mingle with each other and to meet ABA's CEO Avin Mark Domnitz and Education and BookSense.com Director Len Vlahos, who were on-hand to introduce attendees to all that the association has to offer them.

Many of the booksellers commented on the pleasure they got from meeting others in similar circumstances. But for Furrer some of the enormous differences among them became obvious. While her business plan must factor in annual rent of upwards of $40 per square foot for a 1,000- or 1,200-square-foot space, she told BTW that she heard others describe buying a whole building for a lot less.

Matt Knarian, who opened his bookstore Reading & Rhythm in Bad Axe, Michigan, a few months ago, instituted changes in his store upon arriving home from Amelia Island. "Since my return," he said, "I have rearranged my store to a much more open and friendly layout. I also began the pursuit of a new POS system and hope to hire a new staff member in the very new future."

For Sue Lynn of Bellevue, Nebraska, "The Booksellers School came just in time ... Confluence is at the point of build-out planning with the architect and interior designer. Each module, from business plan development to inventory and IT systems was timely and critical in my decision-making process."

Furrer summed up her experience at the Booksellers School with characteristic Brooklyn candor, "Going [to the school] confirmed that I'm headed in the right direction -- I'm not insane."

The next opportunity for new and prospective booksellers to attend a Booksellers School is a four-day workshop sponsored by the American Booksellers Association and facilitated by Paz & Association in conjunction with this year's BookExpo America. The school, from Tuesday, May 29, to Friday, June 1, will be held at Hotel ABA, the New York Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge. Registration for the school and reservations for Hotel ABA are filling up fast, so ABA is encouraging those who are interested in attending to make their plans as soon as possible.

ABA Provisional Members can chat with, and ask questions of, more experienced booksellers via the Bookseller-to-Bookseller Forum on BookWeb.org's Idea Exchange. --Nomi Schwartz