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Original poster

Would it be ridiculous to open a bookshop?

137 replies

GoneAndDoneItAgainAgain · 07/09/2020 11:40

To be perfectly honest, I don’t need money and I’m lucky enough not to actually need to work. I’m recently divorced and have 2 school age school.

I live in a lovely tourist town with a really eclectic mix of independently owned shops. I’ve always wanted to have a bookshop. Well, I’ve always liked the idea of sitting in a bookshop and it somehow being a career.

I could afford to rent a building and that has become free with rates and based on a very rough idea of quotes I could afford to get fixtures and stock it without needing to get a loan. I wouldn’t expect to actually make a profit from it but would ideally be able to cover the cost of employing someone a few days a week so I wouldn’t be doing it on my own. The building itself is an old sail loft that used to be my dads office so I think a lot of it is an emotional tie to the building. But it would make a fucking awesome bookshop and it’s right on the harbour so in the right place too.

Would this be daft? It’s something I’ve been dreaming of for years but it just seems ridiculous to open a bookshop because I want to sit in a bookshop and sell people books rather than actually make any money.

OP posts:
cuddlymunchkin · 07/09/2020 11:42

Have you ever watched the TV show Black Books? It could be what you aspire to...

growinggreyer · 07/09/2020 11:43

Choose your stock wisely for the location. What about a lovely children's section at the entrance to entice customers in? There is a gorgeous one in Whitby with children's books and soft toy characters. I impulse bought a Moomin there.

parietal · 07/09/2020 11:47

sounds like a lovely idea. I'd love to visit & buy books.

But do run the figures carefully & make sure you can afford everything.

can the bookshop include a cafe? that is often a good way to get income.

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Books
LetterFromLorah · 07/09/2020 11:49

This sounds absolutely amazing! It would be very, very hard work though but if you're not relying on the profit then go for it!

BrandyandBabycham · 07/09/2020 11:49

That sounds really lovely OP. I love bookshops. Go for it!

Hedgehog44 · 07/09/2020 11:50

It's my dream! Do it! Do it!

FAQs · 07/09/2020 11:50

Mmm it’s sounds more like a hobby idea than a business head decision. Not a good place to start from.

Beamur · 07/09/2020 11:51

Sounds ace!

Joolsin · 07/09/2020 11:51

Sounds like every book lover's dream. Given that you're not stuck for money, op, I'd do it.

Floralbean · 07/09/2020 11:52

It really depends what would make your book shop stand out as to whether it would be worthwhile. I absolutely love browsing book shops, but for many the lure of being able to get books for half of the RRP on Amazon or in a supermarket is greater than their desire to take time to look around and choose one. I would say if you had a USP then absolutely, perhaps as has been said an engaging and exciting children's area, or perhaps local books, books from more indie writers, a space to host author talks or writing workshops etc.

BarkandCheese · 07/09/2020 11:53

Would there be much competition? The town I grew up in had only two places to buy books, a lovely independent shop and Smiths. My mum still lives there and I recently was delighted to see the independent shop has taken over the shop next door and is expanding. They still have no competition other than Smiths, and I wonder if they'd be in a position to expand, let alone still be open if there was a Waterstones in the town.

Floralbean · 07/09/2020 11:54

Remember that although you don't need to be making money, you also don't want to be losing it neccessarily. You will have to buy stock, also other costs with running a retail unit, and if you want to have the flexibility to have time off without keep closing then to be able to pay someone a fair wage etc. Or if the area suits perhaps a second hand bookshop?

nosswith · 07/09/2020 11:55

Do your homework as it were. Given the likely economic picture over the next few years, are book sales going to reduce? If people are not commuting by train or bus as much, will they read as much?

fabulousathome · 07/09/2020 11:56

Maybe children's books only?

ColleagueFromMars · 07/09/2020 11:56

What type of books would you sell? I envision a second hand book shop, full of the type of thing you can't get easily on amazon for pocket money type prices and just lovely to browse. And yes yes to a cafe, it sounds an amazing place to sit with a coffee and a cake!

sashh · 07/09/2020 12:02

This is my dream.

The children's book area has a top bunk with big cushions on the floor underneath to make a den. In my dream there are curtains, fancy dress, and fairy lights but I know irl it would be a safety nightmare.

I'll have occasional story tellers for children and local authors to to talks to adults.

It will have a slightly niche market of children's books in various languages.

I will have a loyalty scheme for people buying books but for children it will be for buying or reading. Did I mention the children's den will have a selection of books to read with no obligation to buy.

I will have a local dressmaker make costumes of book characters and these will be available for world book day to the children with reading points.

I need to win the lottery obviously.

ChequerBoard · 07/09/2020 12:04

Someone has done just this in the next village over to ours. They have opened a small bookshop which specialises in selling hardback books but is really a place for coffee and conversation.

It's been going just over a year now, no idea if it's making any money but there are usually at least a couple of people in there...

HollowTalk · 07/09/2020 12:08

It's a lovely idea but to be honest it will not bring in any money! A friend of mine worked in a lovely Waterstones and was used to people coming in, admiring a book, taking out their phone and ordering it (much cheaper) from Amazon. Also people expect a huge range of books and can't understand why something isn't in stock.

A cafe attached will help bring in money. Author nights will also help. But day-to-day sales of books will be really low, particularly due to e-book sales.

HollowTalk · 07/09/2020 12:09

@sashh But you wouldn't make any money at all!

GeologyRox · 07/09/2020 12:11

I love going into places like this, and I'd say go for it if start up costs/money aren't an issue, though I'd think you'd need to at least break even as in not have it costing you money all the time?
A cafe is a good idea or even a coffee machine and a cold drinks fridge and some cakes with a sofa and a few books you could write off if anything was spilt in a corner, maybe with local info as well if there wasn't enough room for a cafe? I went to a bookshop that had loads of different rooms and one room was set out like that, rickety old stairs and tiny windows and hundreds and hundreds of books and then a room where you could get a coffee or something from the vending machine and sit and read a while, they hadn't advertised it anywhere outside and it was just lovely with some toys and battered old volumes there, as well as local info and somewhere to rest your feet, I could barely carry the books I bought leaving there!

Zaphodsotherhead · 07/09/2020 12:13

XFIL used to own a bookshop in a picturesque market town.

Never made a penny. People would come in, look at the books and then order them on Amazon sometimes whilst standing right in front of him in the shop.

You may get a lot of people in, but they won't necessarily buy anything.

Redlocks28 · 07/09/2020 12:13

How would you feel if you were making a loss and it ended up costing you thousands each year-that would be my concern.

Rae36 · 07/09/2020 12:15

Please can I be your employee? I would love to work in an independent bookshop.

One opened in our town recently and seems to be doing well. It's quite high brow, sells lots of glossy coffee table books.

It's very well networked, it's all over social media, lots of author signings and readings, promotes lots of local authors. I had no idea we had so many local authors. Also promotes books with links to our area, however tenuous the link.

wheresmymojo · 07/09/2020 12:19

Do it.

Listen to your own gut feeling - don't let other people project their fears and limiting beliefs.

This is your dream, not theirs.

MagMell · 07/09/2020 12:19

@HollowTalk

It's a lovely idea but to be honest it will not bring in any money! A friend of mine worked in a lovely Waterstones and was used to people coming in, admiring a book, taking out their phone and ordering it (much cheaper) from Amazon. Also people expect a huge range of books and can't understand why something isn't in stock.

A cafe attached will help bring in money. Author nights will also help. But day-to-day sales of books will be really low, particularly due to e-book sales.

Exactly this. And I think you would need to staff it 100% yourself, so factor in whether you want that time commitment. I'm basing this on friends who run similarly small/niche shops (eg a hat shop) -- they can't afford staff.
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