Simply Running A Used Bookstore

August 23, 2012 / otterbooks / 3 Comments

I have to blog about a situation that just occurred so I can shake off the experience. I don’t like writing about it but I have to. I guess so I can get past it. All about a customer confrontation. I generally don’t cross the line but I did today. Why? Because he laughed at me. That’s my trigger – laughing at me. Not with me but at me.

His comment to me as I was ringing up his purchase was, “You’re serious?” He didn’t like the cost of the book. A Vermont author signed first edition. His comeback was he was going to go online to make his purchase and take the book to the author to get him to sign it.

Generally I let comments roll right off me and don’t let them stick. What do they know about me and my store? Nothing. Do they even care? Nope! And why would they? I don’t know them. They don’t know me. I generally roll my eyes behind their back and let them just walk right out of the store and get back to my life and my store. As he was walking out I had to share with him that I pay rent, electricity… And he dared to say to me, “Oh! And those people don’t have to?” He stood there and I knew I had to stand-down. I was not going to continue. He was there for a bit more and then left.

So…my lesson? Shut-up! Know that I am doing well. I am a good person. I’ve rebuilt this store. I’m fitting into this location I’ve been enjoying for almost a year . I am proud of my accomplishments regarding this store. He was just one person who felt the need to belittle me for whatever his reasoning was. It’s his problem. Not mine. That’s all it was.
I am proud of myself that I would never, ever do that to anyone. Especially to someone trying to make a simple living owning and managing a little used bookstore.

One of the downsides of a used bookstore.

Saving Bookstores – Including Used

August 14, 2012 / otterbooks / Leave a comment

I caught on FB a recent item from The Huffington Post regarding saving indie bookstores. My interest was aroused so I clicked on the article and was immediately taken to their website and the article, “How To Save Bookstores: 28 Ideas From Existing Locations.” Obviously I’m not an indie bookstore but I thought I might be able to pull some ideas off the site and the associated blog.

Here is what I’m currently doing from the list: 2. Beautiful space. Love the space here! I have a ways to go before I’m there in terms of my design but I love it here. Want more bookshelves, labels, etc. 7. Show what good value print can be. Hey! this is a used bookstore. Ok, some books are priced high but generally those are generally out-of-print, short run, etc. Most are priced respectfully. Priced to sell. 10. Don’t ban cell phones. No rules here so no problem. I’ll even make a sale while you are talking on it. Even when you’re listening to music and don’t remove your ear pods. A sell is a sell. And again, no rules. And yes, I’ve have. I don’t judge. 12. Establish an ongoing relationship with well-known local creatives. My store is part of the Middlebury Arts Walk and I’m always trying to come up with creative ways to express art. Here at the store and me personally. It doesn’t always have to be oil or watercolor. For example for this month’s Arts Walk it was about poetry. 13. Curate a themed noticeboard. How about themed shelves? I’ve got amazing shelves in this space and I’m always trying to change them out into themes. Currently one is on red covered vintage books. Just for fun. 19. Pool resources – other bookstores. The statewide used booksellers who have regular open hours have been getting together and talking about developing a driving tour of our open stores. I would like to do something with The Vermont Book Shop but I’m too chicken to ask. I don’t know why. Maybe because I haven’t come up with a good idea yet. 27. Make your staff a feature of the store. Been doing that specially over the last four months. My grandson comes in and helps out. He’s a huge help for being 5 1/2 months old. And so cute! That’s probably not what they mean. 28. Sell online. Check. I do that but not at the level expected. For a one-woman shop it’s fine for me. And I want you in here. To experience the book. Eight out of 28 – not too bad.

Some on the list that I don’t do and frankly not appropriate for me are: 5. Offer more than coffee. Well, I don’t offer coffee in the first place. Or tea. I do partner with Stoneleaf Tea House also in here in the Marble Works. Buy a book, show your receipt, and you’ll receive 10% off a pot of tea. Great deal. 8. Sell old books alongside new ones. New books can be found at Vermont Book Shop so I would suggest going there. We have a great relationship referring to each other. I won’t sell new. Hopefully they won’t sell used. 15. Keychains. Well, that is a good idea but honestly, since I moved my business I’m struggling to get my business back to what it was before I moved it a year ago. But I’ll tell you, when you see keychains here you’ll know I got it back and I have a firm financial standing. I do have pens though. 16. Make a nonprofit. Wait a minute. You mean it’s not? Actually I want to make a profit. A paycheck, no matter how small, would be appreciated. 21. Sell other, high-quality book-themed products. See #8 above. 22-24. Publish, print and encourage self-publishing. I encourage you to publish. And I wish you success. And I’ll look forward to the books eventually coming in here. Hey why not? Keep the cycle going…

August 10 2012 Middlebury Arts Walk @ OCUB

August 7, 2012 / otterbooks / Leave a comment

Poetry in the Park[ing Lot]

Inspiration can be found anywhere. Including a parking lot. Be a part of a Poetry Event!

How?

Marble Works Signage

Drive to and park in the north Marble Works parking lot with a copy of your favorite poem. Post the poem in your car windshield for all to read as one mingles through the lot.

Then stop in the store and view our featured poet, local resident, Ginger Dowling Miller.

And…

all poetry books will be 50% off during the Arts Walk, August 10, 2012, 5 pm-7 pm.

“Each space in the parking lot is marked with a simple bit of wisdom.” ~lisaleonardonline.com.

Otter Goals

July 28, 2012 / otterbooks / Leave a comment

I am a person who sets goals for myself. I generally reach them. Some I revise because of the reality of a situation. Like in my previous job I realized that no, I didn’t want a daily commute to Montpelier even after I was strongly encourage to not pull my name from applying. I changed my priorities.

I purchased this used bookstore and have met many of my goals and expectations. Was moving the location a goal? I think so because I wanted to elevate the business. I strongly feel that moving to the Marble Works has helped to achieve that. Don’t you? Even though I left Main Street. You know, out of the basement into the light. I’ve got beautiful windows. And atmosphere!

So, I had been working on a particular financial goal since I opened here in the Marble Works. A dollar amount for one day in sales. Once I met that goal I was to get my hair cut. Short hair equals no fuss. Goes along with my ‘No Rules in a Used Bookstore’. Well, I made that goal! Yes! I have cut my hair! It is short. And the best part? I’ve met that goal three times since. It feels good. Good that I met a goal and good that I have my hair cut. Oh yes, I’ve set another financial goal but not tied to a hair cut. Something fun. Never will I set a goal around getting my hair cut. Nope!

A Year Ago…Sale!

July 17, 2012 / otterbooks / Leave a comment

A year ago…

and here we are today…

Stop in and check out the space that we moved to last year, if you haven’t yet. We are in the Historic Marble Works – behind where the store had been located. Look for the blue awning. The only one in this complex.

In honor of the Big Move ALL books are 50% off for this week – July 16-21, 2012.

Enjoy!

Catching Up With OCUB

June 30, 2012 / otterbooks / Leave a comment

Hello! I have been so busy and I’ve been wanting to update my blog but well, you know how I am – or you should – I can’t stand boxes and clutter. Especially boxes all around me in the front room. (Still need to come up with a cool name for this room.) I’ve had a lot of boxes come in so that means I’ve been busy. Busy SPSing. You know, sorting/pricing/shelving. Getting books up on the shelves and keeping the room sort-of respectable-like. I do have to write that currently I am surrounded with boxes of books: french, children, spirituality, over-sized art and wildlife, and at my feet…well, I started a pile I’ve set aside for me to read. It is Saturday and I just want a little break.

I have a lot to write about! One thing, the book I highlighted in my last post…sold! I was sad but yet I knew it was going to a great home so I was excited. Mixed emotions. It sold because the woman who purchased it read my blog and came in to look at and hold the book. I admitted I tucked the book away – sure it was on a shelf but one had to look for it. She was excited it was still here. I hope the lucky recipient enjoys it as much as she and I do.

The Vermont History Expo was held in Tunbridge several weekends ago and on that Sunday I went down to help out in the VABA booth along with some of my fav VT used bookstore owners. In the few hours that we were all together we had great conversations ranging from customer habits (Yes, all good! Ok, mostly.), to how we really feel about used books (we love them, of course!), what sells and what doesn’t, and we threw in some ghost stories to make it all interesting. Unfortunately I cannot upload the photos I took that day. My laptop faded out early last week. It really just faded out. Now I am using a new-to-me Mac that my daughter gave me. Ugh! Going from a PC to an Apple is a very difficult thing. For me. I’m not complaining because her husband is pulling out my files and transferring to another new-to-me laptop. So I am patiently waiting to receive that computer. When I receive it then I’ll post those images and get on with my postings.

I’m constantly asked what I read. Well, I’ve recently started reading VT women authors: Kathryn Davis, Sue Halpern and Suzi Wizowaty to name a few. Of course Dorothy Canfield Fisher is who I’ll be going to next. Then onto one of the nicest woman around (yes, a local author), Julia Alvarez. Plus in-between I have been reading books on books or bookstores: Ulin’s, “The Lost Art of Reading: Why Books Matter in a Distracted Time” and in the middle of Margaret Hard’s “A Memory of Vermont: Our Life in the Johnny Appleseed Bookshop.” And to really mix it up I’m almost done with a May Sarton book, “Shadow of a Man,” to which I’m most grateful to one of my amazing customers for making the author suggestion.

So sorting, pricing, shelving (constantly) and throw in cleaning the books as they come out of the boxes, reading, embroidering I’ve been keeping busy. Note I didn’t mention cleaning my house….yeah….

Books That Excite Little Otter Me!

June 9, 2012 / otterbooks / 4 Comments

Oh! I admit there are certain types of books that come into the store that truly excite me. And I openly admit they are hard for me to put on the shelf but I do. I know! How mature. Here is one that just came in. Isn’t it awesome? It fits perfectly in the hand. Has enough wear that puts it over the edge of greatness. The title is “Field Book of Wild Birds and Their Music: A Description of the Character and Music of Birds, Intended to Assist in the Identification of Species Common in the United States East of the Rocky Mountains,” written by F. Schuyler Mathews. It is a revised edition (1921) printed by G. P. Putnam’s Sons. Why aren’t more books like this published now?

Awesome Book!

Songs of the Meadowlark

Meadowlark

mmmm….Do You Smell That? Take A DEEP Breathe…. :)

May 5, 2012 / otterbooks / Leave a comment

So…chemists at University College in London investigated the odor of books and have concluded that “old books release hundreds of volatile organic compounds into the air from the paper.” Okay. I get that. Well, the lead scientist has described the smell as “A combination of grassy notes with a tang of acids and a hint of vanilla over an underlying mustiness.” And that’s why we all love the smell of old books! Acids and vanilla = perfect combo!

Researching a bit on this topic I learned that there is now a scratch-it that releases the smell of old books. To put on one’s I-pad or Nook or other e-readers. Really? That’s crazy! So people think that they can add a scratch-it sticker and feel better holding their e-reader because now it’ll seem like holding a book? mmm. I find that just craziness. Why not just purchase a used book? I guarantee you’ll appreciate that book a whole lot better. Remember it’s the experience.

What’s Going on in Otter Creek Used Books?

May 4, 2012 / otterbooks / Leave a comment

Sitting in my rearranged front room sipping some ice tea (Oolong) from Stoneleaf Tea House, my courtyard neighbor and settling myself down to write. It’s been awhile since I’ve added anything. I’ll post pictures soon of the new room arrangement. I’m liking it better.

Life’s been good. Had a ton of boxes come in so I’ve been busy going through them and getting them on the shelves. I’m currently offering store credit for now. April and May are generally slow months here and this year I have to say, it’s no different even in this location. My sales haven’t been too far off from when I was located on Main Street but enough to make me curb spending and doing some fancy bookwork juggling. Looking forward to the summer months and the outdoors Farmers Market returning to the area.

So what’s been coming in? A lot of gardening, herbal, homesteading, beekeeping, philosophy, and fiction – hardcover and soft. And vegetarian cookbooks. Oh and a signed John Denver. I was excited to see that. He was one of my heroes. Now know that I’m excited about seeing his signature. Yes, I put a value on the book and posted it on Abebooks where I sell online but that’s the business side of the store. I work mostly on the emotional side of books and the store, in general. I guess that’s why I have such a time adding books online. It’s so impersonal. I’d have to completely revamp my store life in order to accommodate selling online. I recognize in today’s market that is what I should be doing. Am I wrong for being a throw-back to running a used bookstore? Being in-store customer based? Possibly. I admit it but then I gotta be me, right?

VABA 2012 Spring Book Fair – An Otterly Amazing Show

March 27, 2012 / otterbooks / 1 Comment

Otter Creek Used Books booth

I did it! My thoughts and plans came together and above shows my booth at the recent VT Antiquarian Book & Ephemera Fair – the Spring show – over the past weekend – Sunday, March 25 – in Burlington.

I admit that I fretted about the booth – design to picking out books – and I feel I did an okay job. I liked how the booth came out and I think I picked out a range of books that highlights my store. I did some sales which relieved me because I just didn’t want to face a day of no sales. I got to talk to people as they poked around my books and other exhibitors which was the best part as well as to see what they brought (And their pricing, too. I was excited because I felt I was pretty on target with mine). SO, all my struggles paid off and I made it through and gained confidence. Now…when is the next one? Oh yes, August in Brattleboro, VT. More on that later. And yep! I’m going to be there!