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Original poster

would you use an independent book shop?

92 replies

ThatVikRinA22 · 03/03/2010 22:22

shameless canvassing of opinions....DH is talking of opening an independent book shop and coffee shop...do you think there is a market in this day and age? or has amazon killed the independent book seller?

i could really see him doing this but am scared it wont work...

OP posts:

OrmRenewed · 04/03/2010 15:36

Yes, I do.

Francagoestohollywood · 04/03/2010 15:38

Yes, I would. I spend lots of money on books, I love amazon, but I also love going into bookshops. Browsing among REAL books is still one of my fav ways of spending my time (and money )

OtterInaSkoda · 04/03/2010 15:41

There are a couple in my town and they are well used. They have regular events (people like Will Self come and do talks) are are just the place to go if you're not sure what you want, but know you want a book.

DP never goes anywhere else, but I use Amazon.

OtterInaSkoda · 04/03/2010 15:46

Oh - just seen Rhian's post. Those are the stores I'm referring to. DP goes to both all the time, as do one or two friends. He does almost all his Christmas shopping at one of them! The books are nicely wrapped in cellophane, too. They look expensive.

choosyfloosy · 04/03/2010 15:48

sorry haven't read all thread

the difficulty for second-hand book retailers at the mo i think is the oxfam bookshops, plus obviously the skyhigh rent and rates

i would agree that making the cafe the main income stream with specialist book stock as the sideline COULD work

evening opening is at a premium now, there is nowhere at all nice to go in the evening here, dh and i used to go to borders a lot. evening opening could be a way forward if it's swingable with staff costs/security issues

children's books, textbooks and poetry are the only books I still spend money on really, the rest I get from the library.

tw888 · 04/03/2010 15:53

i use my local independent book shop. i love the place! i buy books for my DS just to support them! they also sell some pretty diaries, notebooks etc at a very reasonable price.

i think it's a good idea and the coffee shop will help in case there's not a big demand on books.

bebumba · 04/03/2010 21:29

I use my local independent because I can get books there that I can't find in Waterstones etc. I buy books from Amazon but am probably old fashioned in that I still prefer to pick up a book and flick through it before I buy it. A book shop/coffee shop is my idea of heaven!

CirrhosisByTheSea · 04/03/2010 21:41

I use our local one in the high street. Feel very lucky to have it and use it consciously to support it.

They have a good children's section which I think is important and a very good local section (both local interest stuff and local authors) Agree with bebumba that lots of people still love to be in a bookshop, for all that amazon may be cheaper etc

I wish your DH all the best with it if he goes for it.

wastwinsetandpearls · 04/03/2010 21:48

I buy a book most weeks, if I can I will buy in the local bookshop as I try and support local shops. I also use the butchers, greengrocers, fishmongers for the same reasons. I also shop in second hand bookshops and amazon.

Our coffee shop and bookshop were struggling so they have merged. The bookshop does seem to be quite quiet still though.

JeffVadar · 05/03/2010 10:17

There are still lots of people out there (including me) who much prefer to browse in a proper bookshop, and you can still make it work if the area is right.

My dad set up his own bookshop in SW London, although it was in the late 70s! He spent well over a year researching the right area, and it was highly successful until he retired about 10 years ago.

I admit that he never had to compete against the likes of amazon, but he weathered the end of RPM on books with very little effect. This was mainly due to a loyal and devoted customer base; you get to know them, and what they like, better than they do themselves in the end!

I really wish you the best of luck. Definitely go for it, but wait for the right location to come along!

MIFLAW · 05/03/2010 10:26

I think what might help this to work is a specialism (be it children's books or military history) combined with genuine expertise so that people are actually willing to travel and you are not reliant on passing trade.

Good coffee will also help ...

choosyfloosy · 05/03/2010 10:34

Customer service also really really helps. Knowledge of the stock, for example. i have been shocked by the loss of bookshops here and now try at least to use a physical one even if it is a chain, but it really hurts to be treated so badly... i ordered 2 books with one particular shop and in BOTH cases the book has NEVER arrived and all record of the order has disappeared... i'm not going to make an official complaint, or name the bookshop on here, because i feel such a mug, but in both cases I also paid in advance so have lost my money! I'm so disorganised that I lost all the paperwork too, so have no leg to stand on, but that's the thing, I am nothing to them, they have no memory or record of me. so to me it is absolutely ALL about customer service.

I still use an independent bookshop in my home town when I go back there, because they were so good to me when I was growing up and they seem to know every single book they stock without even looking it up.

Sunshinemummy · 05/03/2010 10:36

I'd use one but I think you need a few things to make it work:

a really good, baby friendly coffee area with yummy cake and room for prams - that way you might get NCT groups
a great childrens section with room for the kids to sit down and look at books
good ideas for themed evenings - maybe cookery demos, themed kids evenings, readings by authors, competitions etc.
mail order service
maybe he could have a second-hand/book swap section (where you swap one of your books for another for a small admin fee).

LaurieFairyCake · 05/03/2010 10:37

I think it would work really well in York (the only town I know really well from your list) but the town centre rents would be huge.

If it was me I would sell second hand books cheaply (there is very little money to be made on books and they take up a lot of space) and concentrate on fab coffee and cakes - there's a massive mark-up on food and that's where the money will be made.

Also if it was me I would be selling a few gifty-wifty items (you can easily get those on a sale or return basis from artists).

I would love to do this seeing as I read all the time, bake all the time and make candles which I could sell.

thesecondcoming · 05/03/2010 10:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

ThatVikRinA22 · 05/03/2010 10:47

York used to be full of independent shops of all kinds but now the rents are so massive most small independent traders are out of business - its just full of huge chains now, which is a massive shame.

we are off scouting mission today....off to look at the book shop in Thirsk.

(DD has just got the books we ordered from Amazon 8 days ago)....

OP posts:

Nymphadora · 05/03/2010 10:52

We love the bookshop in Bath with all the signed copies! I spend a fortune in there on 1sts & signed books.

We went there then to Hay on Wye on the way home, my poor car was a bit over loaded.

We have an independant bookshope here. Nearest waterstones 20 miles in either direction but the independant can order in do it's as fast as ordering from anywhere. Depends on whether you want to support the buisness or save money. Books (buying them)are usually a luxury anyway

minxofmancunia · 05/03/2010 10:55

In Didsbury Manchester there are loads of vacant empty shop units, affluent area but businesses are folding all the time. It's an unfortunate sign of the times that the only retailers that seem able to weather the storm are chains .

There are 3 independent book shops here. One of them is attached to a brilliant quirky cafe with homemade cakes and vintage decor. Love browsing round there.

There's also an independent childrens bookshop with a cafe in it. They've really hit the nail on the head, childrens books, adult books a cafe with home made cakes and healthy organic snakcs for dcs, a few gifts and cards and a gift wrapping service plus loads of events and a book club. It's always pretty busy in there esp. after school.

The 3rd one has a pretty good selection but the bloke who runs it is a little umm, odd shall we say so I don't like going in as it's always deserted.

I think you need to consider location, any extras you can offer (book signings/readings) and the quirk that will make it different from chain book shops. Remember Borders has just folded.

thesecondcoming · 05/03/2010 10:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

minxofmancunia · 05/03/2010 11:04

Art of Tea is my favourite, also has an odd man. Went in there recently do see the Picture Framer at the back of the shop but he wasn't there so left a message with the strange man who wrote "an attractive young lady wishes these prints to be framed in plain oak" on a bit of paper then started singing to me. Flattering but disconcerting. Dd was laughing her head off.

Is Mortons the one of Warburton Street, last time I was in there I was the only customer and the odd man told me he liked my hat and stroked my head!!?

Maybe I'm just strangely alluring to second hand book shop retailers.

thesecondcoming · 05/03/2010 11:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

menomena · 09/03/2010 00:56

I do love browsing in independent and second hand bookshops but really don't think it's a wise move to open one.

Don't want to be a downer because having an actual bookshop is a nice idea but I think you should just do it online eg via amazon marketplace - lower overheads since you can do it from home if you have enough space to store stock and don't need to pay for premises or staff, much wider customer base... you just have to make sure you can find somewhere to source your books for as little as possible because when so many of the books go for a penny on the marketplace you're only turning over £1 on the postage so can't really afford to be paying more than a few pence for the book in the first place! I know someone who started doing this as a hobby and gave up his "day job" to do it full time as it was so successful and he enjoys it (do know a good few who tried and failed at it as well though - just to be balanced!)

Anyway this probably doesn't sound like you and your DH's dream if you're thinking of a nice little bookshop, but you can make decent money on the online marketplaces and IMO a "physical" bookshop would be far more difficult to pull off these days.

Didn't read all the replies so sorry if I am repeating what someone else already said!

CheerfulYank · 09/03/2010 01:14

Everything sunshinemummy said.

I work in one and it does quite well; we live in a small town and it's the place to go. We have comfy chairs, couches, a fireplace, good coffee, and we hold events, etc. We don't mind how long you come in to browse or how long you sit and chat.

It's a used bookstore, so inventory is free (people drop books off and then get credit) and it does well.

He might as well try it. He'll probably have a lot of fun, and if it fails...well, he tried, and then he won't have to say "what if...", you know?

CheerfulYank · 09/03/2010 01:17

Oh, and also yes to the gifty-wifty items. We sell cards, bookmarks, cool mugs, etc.

ClaudiaSchiffer · 09/03/2010 01:50

This is a great independent bookshop, no caff but a good selection of books and really helpful staff. So much better than Amazon.

But . . . I don't think the owners are squillionairs (yet), so don't go into it thinking you'll make your fortune.

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