So you’ve just bought yourself a bookstore. Congratulations. You asked all the big questions before buying, rent, utilities, cash flow, inventory, etc. but before the old owner moves to Florida make sure to ask some specific questions about the details of doing business.
1. Where are the lightswitches?
Oh you laugh, but I had to call the previous owner the first day because I couldn’t get the lights on. The lightswitches by the door didn’t work. All the switches are actually BEHIND the white bookcases. You need to move books to find them! If you’re in a brand new building, this probably isn’t a problem, but many bookstores are located in repurposed older buildings… which means the lightswitch may not be by the door.
Make sure to ask what ALL the switches do! If you’re in a subdivided space, it may turn out that some switches in your space control the neighbor’s lights! Some switches may also be master switches that control whole areas and if they’re off, nothing in that area will come on, no matter how many times you flip the switch.