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Author Topic: I'm starting a second-hand bookstore soon, any advice?  (Read 8132 times)

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Offline Lisa

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I'm starting a second-hand bookstore soon, any advice?
« on: May 12, 2008, 10:04:07 PM »
You'll have to respond if you want more details.  :-)
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Offline jendf

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Re: I'm starting a second-hand bookstore soon, any advice?
« Reply #1 on: May 12, 2008, 10:08:33 PM »
I don't know anything about start-up businesses, but I just wanted to say good luck to you!

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Offline Rick

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Re: I'm starting a second-hand bookstore soon, any advice?
« Reply #2 on: May 12, 2008, 10:31:09 PM »
Location Location Location.

I don't know that this is a good business to start. It seems that the stores here in Orange county are closing. Most have been in business twenty plus years.
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Offline franksolich

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Re: I'm starting a second-hand bookstore soon, any advice?
« Reply #3 on: May 12, 2008, 10:35:14 PM »
Just don't do anything to piss off customers, Lisa.

When I lived in Lincoln, a liberal femme, probably a primitive, started a bookstore.

When I lived in Lincoln, I spent a lot of money at bookstores.

I spent hundreds of bucks at this new bookstore within a few weeks, but then one day when I walked in, I noticed a new sign, PLEASE DON'T SMOKE AS IT AGGRAVATES [name of femme owner]'s ALLERGIES.

I never went back there again.

I myself had never smoked inside the store; I don't smoke when shopping.

If there had been a problem with smokers, a simple PLEASE DON'T SMOKE sign would have sufficed.

But no, it was all about her, her, her.

I never cared much for narcissists, and I'm sure she could have made a couple thousand more bucks off of me over the next year or so, if she hadn't been so grotesquely self-centered.

However, Lisa, I have no doubt you have a great deal more class and grace than she did.
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Offline rich_t

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Re: I'm starting a second-hand bookstore soon, any advice?
« Reply #4 on: May 12, 2008, 11:11:25 PM »
Quote from: Lisa on May 12, 2008, 10:04:07 PM
You'll have to respond if you want more details.  :-)

Ok... Does asking for more details serve as a response?   :-)

Seriously, good luck.
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Offline morningAngel

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Re: I'm starting a second-hand bookstore soon, any advice?
« Reply #5 on: May 12, 2008, 11:27:24 PM »
come to my house for inventory
I am not kidding
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Offline Baruch Menachem

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Re: I'm starting a second-hand bookstore soon, any advice?
« Reply #6 on: May 12, 2008, 11:36:10 PM »
Don't spend on amenities, spend on inventory.  That's the way Powells and Camerons work, anyway.

Also pay extra for really good help.  Something else Powells used to be real good at.

Go intellectually up market, but don't be a snot about it.  The best seller stuff will be at Safeway for less than it costs you to buy it, so have stuff people always want but can never find.
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Offline ReardenSteel

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Re: I'm starting a second-hand bookstore soon, any advice?
« Reply #7 on: May 13, 2008, 09:00:01 PM »
Something special for the kids maybe?

- Popcorn machine (free?)

- Soft serve Ice Cream machine (cheap?)

- Weekly story time

- Activity/coloring book contest (hang the winners up in the store?)

- Balloons (free?)

- Hot dogs (cheap?)

(????)

Something special for the grown ups?

- Mailing list (e-mail) for specials and/or coupons

- "Suggest an author" suggestion box (to find out what the folks in the neighborhood like to read)

- Punch cards ("members" spend X dollars get $10 off next purchase) (on the subby samich model, lol)

- Book clubs

- Coffee (resonable price?)

- Local artist involvement (musicians are cheap, might bring a small following or you can give over space for local painters to sell their stuff?)

(????)

Heck, I dunno. Wish you all the luck in the world and great success!  :cheersmate:
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Offline ReardenSteel

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Re: I'm starting a second-hand bookstore soon, any advice?
« Reply #8 on: May 13, 2008, 09:05:54 PM »
ooo ooo ooo !!!

- Wine tastings (liquor licence needed??)


+1 for not editing previous post   :-)


On edit:

I meant wine tastings for adults not for kids btw. Just saying.  :p
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"When you see that trading is done, not by consent, but by compulsion - when you see that in order to produce, you need to obtain permission from men who produce nothing - when you see that money is flowing to those who deal, not in goods, but in favors - when you see that men get richer by graft and by pull than by work, and your laws don't protect you against them, but protect them against you - when you see corruption being rewarded and honesty becoming a self-sacrifice - you may know that your society is doomed."

- Ayn Rand
http://www.capmag.com/article.asp?ID=1826

Offline Lord Undies

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Re: I'm starting a second-hand bookstore soon, any advice?
« Reply #9 on: May 13, 2008, 09:09:13 PM »
Have a drive-thru.
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Offline RobJohnson

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Re: I'm starting a second-hand bookstore soon, any advice?
« Reply #10 on: May 13, 2008, 09:11:59 PM »
Porn.
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Offline Chris_

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Re: I'm starting a second-hand bookstore soon, any advice?
« Reply #11 on: May 13, 2008, 09:40:11 PM »
A website  :-)

Stock up on impulse items for the checkout aisle -- candy and stuff.  Always works for me if I see something I like.


Business cards with the name, address, and # of the store on it.  Doesn't cost much, and they make good bookmarks.  Stuff 'em in a couple books as people check out.
« Last Edit: May 13, 2008, 09:43:47 PM by Chris »
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Offline rich_t

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Re: I'm starting a second-hand bookstore soon, any advice?
« Reply #12 on: May 13, 2008, 09:44:20 PM »
Business cards with the name, address, and # of the store on it.  Doesn't cost much, and they make good bookmarks.

H5
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Offline Chris_

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Re: I'm starting a second-hand bookstore soon, any advice?
« Reply #13 on: May 13, 2008, 09:45:34 PM »
Don't take advice from this guy.  But he might have some extra inventory he'll sell you for cheap. 
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Offline Lisa

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Re: I'm starting a second-hand bookstore soon, any advice?
« Reply #14 on: May 13, 2008, 10:48:38 PM »
Quote from: Ranger Rick on May 12, 2008, 10:31:09 PM
Location Location Location.

I don't know that this is a good business to start. It seems that the stores here in Orange county are closing. Most have been in business twenty plus years.

I hear ya! However, the town where I'm planning to start it is "the" town within a 100-mile radius and many people have been requesting just such a business. Yes, we're in a rural area, but the people aren't hicks. Well, at least, not for the most part!
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Offline Lisa

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Re: I'm starting a second-hand bookstore soon, any advice?
« Reply #15 on: May 13, 2008, 10:53:50 PM »
Quote from: franksolich on May 12, 2008, 10:35:14 PM
Just don't do anything to piss off customers, Lisa.

When I lived in Lincoln, a liberal femme, probably a primitive, started a bookstore.

When I lived in Lincoln, I spent a lot of money at bookstores.

I spent hundreds of bucks at this new bookstore within a few weeks, but then one day when I walked in, I noticed a new sign, PLEASE DON'T SMOKE AS IT AGGRAVATES [name of femme owner]'s ALLERGIES.

I never went back there again.

I myself had never smoked inside the store; I don't smoke when shopping.

If there had been a problem with smokers, a simple PLEASE DON'T SMOKE sign would have sufficed.

But no, it was all about her, her, her.

I never cared much for narcissists, and I'm sure she could have made a couple thousand more bucks off of me over the next year or so, if she hadn't been so grotesquely self-centered.

However, Lisa, I have no doubt you have a great deal more class and grace than she did.

LOL. Yes, I agree that a simple "no smoking" sign would have sufficed. But, well, you know how sensitive we libs are to offending anyone over anything.  :-)  She might have been afraid that her customers who smoked would have been offended, so she might have given a reason so they wouldn't think that she was against them specifically or anything (even if she was). Then again, she just might have been a plain 'ol narcissist as well.

That probably wouldn't go over too well here, though. I haven't smoked in almost twenty years and I'm not particularly fond of being around smoke. However, EVERYONE smokes in this state, no matter who they are. And I'll just be renting space in a building and the building's owner, who has her own business in it as well, smokes as does her other tenant, a barber. She may be a friend, but I don't think it'd be too wise to do something like that.
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Offline Lisa

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Re: I'm starting a second-hand bookstore soon, any advice?
« Reply #16 on: May 13, 2008, 10:56:34 PM »
Quote from: RobJohnson on May 13, 2008, 09:11:59 PM
Porn.

Ummm......not in this town and state. At least, not aboveboard and over the counter.   :tongue:  :-)

Although I'm told that about fifty years ago there was a certain "tavern" in town that also offered certain other "services" that were, according to the old-timers here, actually quite popular. Seriously.
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Offline Lisa

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Re: I'm starting a second-hand bookstore soon, any advice?
« Reply #17 on: May 13, 2008, 10:57:11 PM »
Quote from: morningAngel on May 12, 2008, 11:27:24 PM
come to my house for inventory
I am not kidding


Hey, MA, I just might do that. No kidding!!  :-)
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Offline Lisa

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Re: I'm starting a second-hand bookstore soon, any advice?
« Reply #18 on: May 13, 2008, 11:08:10 PM »
Quote from: Baruch Menachem on May 12, 2008, 11:36:10 PM
Don't spend on amenities, spend on inventory.  That's the way Powells and Camerons work, anyway.

Also pay extra for really good help.  Something else Powells used to be real good at.

Go intellectually up market, but don't be a snot about it.  The best seller stuff will be at Safeway for less than it costs you to buy it, so have stuff people always want but can never find.

Good points! The way it's gonna work for now is that I'm renting a large space in a building in town that a friend owns, she has her business and another tenant in the building as well. The rent is very small, and includes all utilities. The building is right in the middle of downtown in a high-traffic area. I won't really have much room for amenities at first anyway, probably. A lot of people have been wanting a used bookstore in the area, so maybe it'll work out. I'm not really looking to make a profit and realize that it'll likely be awhile before that happens. Hubby has a good job that's enough for us right now, but I'm bored to tears. I haven't been able to find a job in the five months we've been here, it's a rural area. I need something to do and I love books, always have.

I already have a large amount of used books in good condition, so I won't have to spend too much at first on a lot of inventory. And they're the kind of books people would be interested in as well. I don't live in the town itself, I live in a much smaller town several miles away. But the town I'll be having the store in is the county seat, and is much larger with a lot more in it and everyone goes there for everything. So it should be okay.
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Offline Lisa

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Re: I'm starting a second-hand bookstore soon, any advice?
« Reply #19 on: May 13, 2008, 11:09:18 PM »
Quote from: ReardenSteel on May 13, 2008, 09:00:01 PM
Something special for the kids maybe?

- Popcorn machine (free?)

- Soft serve Ice Cream machine (cheap?)

- Weekly story time

- Activity/coloring book contest (hang the winners up in the store?)

- Balloons (free?)

- Hot dogs (cheap?)

(????)

Something special for the grown ups?

- Mailing list (e-mail) for specials and/or coupons

- "Suggest an author" suggestion box (to find out what the folks in the neighborhood like to read)

- Punch cards ("members" spend X dollars get $10 off next purchase) (on the subby samich model, lol)

- Book clubs

- Coffee (resonable price?)

- Local artist involvement (musicians are cheap, might bring a small following or you can give over space for local painters to sell their stuff?)

(????)

Heck, I dunno. Wish you all the luck in the world and great success!  :cheersmate:

Great points and I have, indeed, thought of some of them. I'll do a couple to start and once (or if!) I get rolling, I can get some others going as well.
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Offline Lord Undies

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Re: I'm starting a second-hand bookstore soon, any advice?
« Reply #20 on: May 14, 2008, 08:48:25 AM »
I wasn't kidding about a drive-thru for folks like me who cannot go into a used bookstore due to allergies.  My throat closes up and I have trouble breathing after just a few minutes.

You could have a big plastic Shakespeare for folks to shout their order into.

Buzz click:  "Welcome to Lisa's Book Morgue.  May I take your order?"

Running engine: "I'll have the JK Rowling combo and an Autumn Leaves."

Buzz click:  "Would you like Fried Green Tomatoes with that?"

Running engine:  "No thanks, but throw in lots of bookmarks"

Buzz click:  "That'll be $52.73.  Please drive around."
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Offline john c calhoun

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Re: I'm starting a second-hand bookstore soon, any advice?
« Reply #21 on: May 14, 2008, 09:59:46 AM »
Quote from: franksolich on May 12, 2008, 10:35:14 PM
Just don't do anything to piss off customers, Lisa.

When I lived in Lincoln, a liberal femme, probably a primitive, started a bookstore.

When I lived in Lincoln, I spent a lot of money at bookstores.

I spent hundreds of bucks at this new bookstore within a few weeks, but then one day when I walked in, I noticed a new sign, PLEASE DON'T SMOKE AS IT AGGRAVATES [name of femme owner]'s ALLERGIES.

I never went back there again.

I myself had never smoked inside the store; I don't smoke when shopping.

If there had been a problem with smokers, a simple PLEASE DON'T SMOKE sign would have sufficed.

But no, it was all about her, her, her.

I never cared much for narcissists, and I'm sure she could have made a couple thousand more bucks off of me over the next year or so, if she hadn't been so grotesquely self-centered.

However, Lisa, I have no doubt you have a great deal more class and grace than she did.

yep...

and such is the problem w/ small business owners these days...

the majority of them are liberal moonbats &/or trust fund babies that don't really need the money ...

and of course, they have NO CLUE as to how to run a business....

the location/location/location thingie is overrated these days & comes with a HEFTY PRICE too...

if you want to pay for a high traffic location, you need an average sale of $45 or more & you need to have at least 50-75 reciepts per day, depending on your margins ....and w/ todays china/walmart/internet driven economy, margins SUCK so you'll need at the very least, 75 sales of $45 or more to prolly even break even (depending on how much you keep in inventory/staff etc.etc.) ....

big malls are setup to screw the small spaces that occupy them ...most of the smaller stores in malls today, are meerely there to hawk' their catalog/stock  sales & don't do jackshit for actual retail sales per store....

the anchor stores at malls are the only ones getting a 'deal' on rent, but, they aren't doing much of shit these days either since the asian invasion has destroyed our margins & brands...
« Last Edit: May 14, 2008, 10:04:49 AM by john c calhoun »
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Offline Chris_

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Re: I'm starting a second-hand bookstore soon, any advice?
« Reply #22 on: May 14, 2008, 10:01:22 AM »
Quote from: Lisa on May 12, 2008, 10:04:07 PM
You'll have to respond if you want more details.  :-)
Please give more details.
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Offline john c calhoun

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Re: I'm starting a second-hand bookstore soon, any advice?
« Reply #23 on: May 14, 2008, 10:12:34 AM »
Quote from: Lisa on May 13, 2008, 11:09:18 PM
Quote from: ReardenSteel on May 13, 2008, 09:00:01 PM
Something special for the kids maybe?

- Popcorn machine (free?)

- Soft serve Ice Cream machine (cheap?)

- Weekly story time

- Activity/coloring book contest (hang the winners up in the store?)

- Balloons (free?)

- Hot dogs (cheap?)

(????)

Something special for the grown ups?

- Mailing list (e-mail) for specials and/or coupons

- "Suggest an author" suggestion box (to find out what the folks in the neighborhood like to read)

- Punch cards ("members" spend X dollars get $10 off next purchase) (on the subby samich model, lol)

- Book clubs

- Coffee (resonable price?)

- Local artist involvement (musicians are cheap, might bring a small following or you can give over space for local painters to sell their stuff?)

(????)

Heck, I dunno. Wish you all the luck in the world and great success!  :cheersmate:

Great points and I have, indeed, thought of some of them. I'll do a couple to start and once (or if!) I get rolling, I can get some others going as well.

used book folks ain't into kids & hot dogs...

they are into art, latte, pipes & porno  :lmao:
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Offline bijou

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Re: I'm starting a second-hand bookstore soon, any advice?
« Reply #24 on: May 14, 2008, 02:57:10 PM »
Great idea Lisa, I love bookshops. Make sure you have everything well organised in understandable sections. I have been in too many second hand bookshops which are just a jumble which makes it very hard to  find something to buy. 

Also don't forget you can sell used books through Amazon, which might be useful if you have duplicates.
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