Business Manager
Book Cranny | Arvada, Colorado
Part-Time to Start | $19+/hour | Potential for Full-Time
Book Cranny is looking for an experienced bookseller who wants to play an important role in an independent, employee-owned bookstore.
Being employee-owned is an important part of who we are. We aren’t simply a group of employees working for someone else—we are employee-owners, and we care about the success of the entire store. We are looking for someone who is excited by that idea and wants to work collaboratively with other employee-owners.
This is a hands-on position for a highly capable, self-directed person who notices what needs to be done and takes initiative to do it. We need someone who understands bookselling, loves books, pays attention to details, and can move comfortably between the big picture and the small things that keep a bookstore running well.
The position is part-time to start, with the expectation to grow into full-time for the right person as the original employee-owners phase themselves out. Some responsibilities will take place in the store, while others can be handled off-site.
What you’ll be doing
- Managing and helping improve the day-to-day business operations of the bookstore
- Ordering books and helping maintain a healthy, well-curated inventory
- Helping develop and maintain Book Cranny’s social media presence
- Keeping the store organized, attractive, and running smoothly
- Paying close attention to details and catching errors or problems that others may miss
- Learning and taking responsibility for processing used books that customers bring in for trade
- Helping establish and improve systems and procedures
- Working with other employee-owners to solve problems and improve the store
- Taking initiative when you see something that needs attention rather than waiting to be asked
- Contributing ideas about books, merchandising, operations, marketing, and the customer experience
- Taking on both in-store and off-site work as needed
Who we’re looking for
You should already have a good understanding of the bookselling world, preferably through experience in an independent bookstore. You don’t need to know everything about our particular store, but you should understand the rhythms, challenges, and rewards of bookselling.
- We’re looking for someone who is:
- Highly capable, organized, and self-directed
- An enthusiastic reader who genuinely loves being around books
- Experienced in bookselling and knowledgeable about the book business
- Detail-oriented and naturally observant
- Good at identifying mistakes, inconsistencies, and things that need fixing
- Comfortable learning new systems and taking responsibility for them
- Able to work independently without losing sight of the larger team
- Comfortable with both routine tasks and unexpected problems
- Interested in social media and communicating with customers online
Working with other employee-owners
We are looking for someone who can take ownership of their responsibilities without becoming territorial about them.
Because we are employee-owned, we expect our owners to share information, help one another, contribute ideas, and pitch in when something needs to be done—even when it isn’t technically “their job.” We believe the best ideas can come from anywhere, and the success of the store belongs to all of us.
The right person will be confident enough to take responsibility while also being collaborative, receptive to other people’s ideas, and willing to change course when someone else has a better solution.
Why work at Book Cranny?
Working at an independent bookstore isn’t necessarily the highest-paying career path. We understand that.
What we can offer is the opportunity to spend your working days surrounded by books, readers, and people who love them—and to have a meaningful stake in an independent, employee-owned business.
As a Business Manager, you’ll have the opportunity to make a real difference in how the store operates and grows. You’ll have room to use your experience, develop new ideas, and become an important part of the business rather than simply filling a job description.
Starting pay: $19+/hour, depending on experience and qualifications.
Interested?
If you have bookselling experience, love books, take pride in doing things well, and are excited by the idea of being part of an employee-owned bookstore, we’d love to hear from you.
Please send us your resume and a brief note telling us about your bookselling experience, what interests you about Book Cranny, and why you think you’d be a good fit for an employee-owned business.