Books at Stonehenge: Carving Out Its Niche

It would be an understatement to say that Books at Stonehenge has competition. The 2,500-square-foot independent bookstore, which is located in the Stonehenge Market shopping plaza in Raleigh, North Carolina, is two miles north of a Barnes & Noble, two miles west of a Borders, and about five miles away from a brand new mall, where a two-story Barnes & Noble's recently opened its doors.

Yet, despite this seemingly bleak competitive landscape, Books at Stonehenge has managed to not only survive, but thrive. Much of the store's success is attributed to "[staff] knowledge, customer service, and quick special orders," said Linda Johnson, who, along with her husband, Barry, owns Books at Stonehenge. "And I do business with schools in our area, both public and private," she added. In her locale, it is crucial to develop a loyal customer base, and Book Sense has been an important component in that goal, Johnson noted. "My customers love Book Sense," she said.

A Book Sense 76 Top Ten display table at the front of the store.

Johnson and her husband purchased the general-interest Books at Stonehenge seven years ago, when it was known as Little Professor Books. Though neither had experience in the book business, Johnson previously worked in retail, and "we were looking to own our own business, and we loved books," she explained. Moreover, she was a Little Professor customer. So, when she heard the store, which had been in the Stonehenge shopping plaza since 1984, was up for sale, she and her husband purchased it.

Johnson said that when she took the store over, the Barnes & Noble two miles away was a known commodity. Borders, however, was not: it opened barely a year after the Johnsons purchased Books at Stonehenge. "They moved into a strip shopping center two miles away," she said. Not surprisingly, Johnson reported, "We had a drop-off in business." Gradually, however, the bookstore restored its customer base.

Book Sense has played a significant role in the store's success, Johnson said. Tools of the marketing program, such as the Book Sense 76 flyer and the Top Ten lists became customer favorites, enticing them to return to her store. "People looked forward to the [76 and top ten lists]," she said. "It generates a lot of talk among customers, and customers will see things there they normally wouldn't in other bookstores." She added that it is also a favorite among area book clubs, several of which come to her store for suggestions and to buy books.

Johnson said that she maintains a Book Sense Top Ten display table at the front of the store and uses the shelf-talkers throughout her bookstore. "They're helpful because, with the descriptions, it lets my customers learn about the books," she said.

Johnson said that Book Sense is a great complement to her knowledgeable staff, whose reading tastes are as diverse as her patrons. "People who work here read a lot of different things," Johnson said. "We have different things for different readers." --David Grogan