Now for some of our more interesting and more talked about posts for June.

Caro and Susan gave us a fantastic 4 part story detailing their entry into bookshop ownership

Twenty-one steps up.  I counted.  My knees asked me if I were serious about this.  I told them it was going to be great for our cardiovascular systems.  No lights up here at the moment, T. told us.  For light, he turned on his phone.  Worked pretty well, actually.  Although…after 35 years in at the local middle school just about nothing gets to me, but that first glimpse was just a bit startling.  Turns out this was where the locals stored their haunted house props when it wasn’t October.  Fantastical shadows lit the manikins in the corner

My favorite article was Brian Webster’s story of how he opened a library in old Hong Kong

It was Summer with the temperature as high as 110 degrees so the working hours were from 5 am to noon, at which time we were supposed to take a siesta. Our sleeping and living quarters were also Quonset huts, no radios, air conditioning, TV or any other amenities. The CO had seen my RAF History and noticed my past as Librarian in a couple of bases and so he was delighted to foist the title in to me. What he didn’t mention that the Library was a divided off part of the canteen. All it consisted of were a couple of chairs, a table, and bookshelves. Empty!

“Where are the books,” I inquired.
“Don’t know old boy, suppose you’ll have to drum up that part yourself.”
And that was that.

A Bookshop Blog reader, Rebecca Jones, asked about buying a bookstore from a distance.

I want to make sure I ask the right questions about the store that is up for sale, but am not sure of the etiquette, what in-depth questions can or can’t I ask, or the red flags to watch out for. To make it even more difficult, the store I am looking at is about 1,000 miles away from me! So, I want to have as much information as I can before I have to make the trek.

And Nora of Rainy Day Paperback Exchange gave us the low down on some critters you may bump into.

Going by the name silverfish, fishmoth, carpet shark, or paramite these little insects love to chew on books. They’re silver and shiny and move with a distinct wiggling motion like they’re “swimming” across the surface. They’re usually no bigger than an inch long (2.5 CM). They’re harmless to humans and don’t spread disease. However they can badly chew up books, so spotting these guys in a box is a bad sign.

And suppose this library was surrounded by miles and miles of nothing but rice paddies? And nobody but your immediate compatriots could speak English, or if they did, it was pidgeon with very few words.

Well that was what faced me when I was transferred to a Radar Base in Hong Kong.

Not the Hong Kong of shiny buildings and jazzy night clubs, but the Hong Kong of the New Territories, nose to nose with the Chinese Communist Army. Thirty miles of hairpin mountain roads, so narrow that sometimes vehicles had to stop at a wide part so people could drive past you. At least an hours trip on a nasty dirty un-airconditioed bus with Chinese, chickens and small pigs..The only source of recreation was the NAAFI, the group that took care of the off duty servicemens. They managed the canteens, sold cigarette and beer and what ever other things you might need like pens and paper, shoe polish et al. At this Unit it was bare, just one Quonset hut as a canteen come pub, no tables or chairs, not even a dart board. One little hatch in the wall where everything was purchased.

It was Summer with the temperature as high as 110 degrees so the working hours were from 5 am to noon, at which time we were supposed to take a siesta. Our sleeping and living quarters were also Quonset huts, no radios, air conditioning, TV or any other amenities. The CO had seen my RAF History and noticed my past as Librarian in a couple of bases and so he was delighted to foist the title in to me. What he didn’t mention that the Library was a divided off part of the canteen. All it consisted of were a couple of chairs, a table, and bookshelves. Empty!

“Where are the books,” I inquired.
“Don’t know old boy, suppose you’ll have to drum up that part yourself.”
And that was that.

My first try was at an Army Base quite close, but all I got there was that Army Materials could not be transferred to the RAF without permission and they weren’t about to put themselves out about that – too much paperwork. Apparently the RAF was not liked by our boys in Khaki.

I tried Headquarters at Kai Tak and their answer was that we were a Transit Unit and not entitled to Books. Transit meant a base where you would be shuttled to and wait for your next assigment, but this place was definitely not that.

If anything it was the RAF’s “Fort Zinderneuf”.

I had noticed a Police Station on the way in so I considered a stab at that. The Chief Inspector was Scottish, with all his personnel Chinese. Quite a number of these spoke pretty good English (with Scots accent) but none were much help. He was a very amiable chap and was delighted to talk. Apparently the Military has little use for the Civilian Police and made no bones about the fact so my visit was a treat for him too.

“See Laddie, when I need something I pop down to Kowloon or the Island and pick up what I need there. How much did they give you to spend?” Now that was a shock! Money. Of course I needed money.

“Tell you what,” suggested the Scot, “suppose we take a run down to Kam Tin and see if theres any thing there.” So off we went to the nearest town, accompanied by two Constables. Not for protection but to talk to the storekeepers. The Inspector told me he could speak quite good Cantonese, but he rather kept it under cover. Better the natives didn’t know what the Gwi Lo (Foreign Devils) understood what they were talking about.

He told me that the Police had a pretty easy task in the Territories. “Basically the Chinese run everything themselves, so what crime there is, they look after. Murder is about one of the few items we hear of, and probably only a fraction of those.”

Well the town was a wash. Yes there were books, but all in Chinese. Even if they did have any in English they would want money. But the Ian, the Inspector was very helpful though. He offered to drive me down to Hong Kong anytime. “It’d be a great excuse to get away and my Bosses would give me a pat on the back for helping you boys out. Be fun for you to get a good look around too, just getting jerked off the plane and being sent up here.”

Well back at the base the Adjutant was less than helpful. “The only money we have is from the Canteen Profit’s and we only do that once a month. The men decide what to do with them and I can assure you that books would be the last thing they would vote for.

Generally it goes for the monthly booze up.” Another bombshell! Then came another surprise. I was walking by the Guard Room when the Station Police Sergeant called me in. “What’s you game then,” he demanded. I explained my mission to him and ended up with another problem. The RAF Intelligence Branch would often use the cover of the Education Branch to insert an agent onto a base where there were a hint of irregularaties. When I mentioned “Library” his face changed. From being authorative he retreated into amiabilty. “Well get about your business, Airman,” he said, with abroad wink. “Don’t forget we’re here to help you.”

Now I didn’t understand the big turnaround, but never look a gift horse in the mouth I say. But as I met the other Airmen I gradually got the idea. Most looked at me as an officer and were very circumspect. A few didn’t on the basis I just wasn’t stupid enough to be in Intelligence. It didn’t help matters when I was called to the Guardroom to take a phone call.

“There’s a Police Officer looking for you,” announced the sergeant. I picked up the phone and recognised the voice immendiately. “Hello Ian, what can I do for you.”

It turned out he had made some calls and wanted to drive me to Kowloon and meet some people. “Well let me ask my CO if it’s ok and I’ll call you back,” But before I could finish the conversation the sergeant waved at me. “I can handle that Airman. Just tell the Inspector that he can pick you up whenever he likes.” I passed on the information to Ian and we set up the meeting.

I don’t know how the American Military works, but with the British you had to have a leave pass to get off camp. Usually they were easy to get if you had a good reason, but you couldn’t just walk off. What ever doubts the Sergeant had were now dispelled. Airman didn’t just go round talking to Police Inspectors by their first names.

When I first arrived in Hong Kong all I saw were a few glimpses from the back of a truck. But in Ian’s car it was so different. The mass of people, buildings, the big American Cars. Most Hong Kong Taxis were either American or Mercedes Benz Diesels. It was overwhelming. “It knocks ye back a wee bit doesn’t it,” Ian laughed. I agreed, it really did. Hong Kong as a wonderland.

YMCA, Malcolm Club (Privately owned RAF Recreation Facility), Toc H. Club. We even went to the Book Section of a Department Store, where the prices staggered me. All the books came in from Britain and the Shipping Charges were enormous. We finally ended up at the Peninsula Hotel, the Place for Europeans (and Americans). The place was loaded with obviously affluent people, including quite a few Chinese. Ian introduced me to one young Chinese who spoke excellent English, with an American accent.

“Call me Tommy, Tommy Chou. Ian says you are in the RAF?” I assented and he got into raptures about flying. He was a Member of the Hong Kong Auxilary Air Force and had been to my base a couple of times. “Awful place,”he commented. “So you’re here for a bit of leave?” I told him my sad tale end he laughed. “A library with no books? How embarassing.” “Nice enough to cheer you up,” I retorted, “you don’t have to find them.” He looked a bit downcast for a moment and then said, “Let me make a call.”

He waved to a waiter and seconds later a phone was placed on our table. In seconds he was talking, in Chinese, to some one on the other line. Several some-ones, for you could hear from his voice as he changed his tone to the different listeners. Finally his voice changed and he was obviously talking to some-one important. He kept semi-bowing his head as he spoke, and then he seemed to cheer up and his tone became very friendly. He put the phone down “Well, I think I might solve your problem. Come, we meet my Grandfather.”

Before I could say a word, Ian interrupted. “You are going to see the Sir?” He said, obviously awed. “Oh yes, you can come too, if you want.” Ian nodded and off we went. But not in Ian’s car. As we left the Hotel a Rolls Royce glided to a halt. “Come on,” said Tommy, “the Hotel supplies them.” Apparently The Peninsula had a fleet of Rolls that were at the beck and call of any VIP.

We were driven to the Ferry across to Victoria, the Capital of Hong Kong, and then to a large office building. A young woman came forward and we followed her into an office, where a man, very old and Chinese, wearing traditional robes sat at a couch. Sitting everywhere were younger Chinese, more females than men, and all silent unless spoken to. Tommy was bowing low and Ian did the same so I followed.

“Grandfather, this is the man I spoke to you about. Mr Brian Webster of the Royal Air Force. He is the Librarian.” “Mr. Webster, this is my Grandfather, Sir Shoushon Chou.”
Grandfather nodded to me. “So you wish books?” He asked. “To read for pleasure or for learning.?”
“Both, Sir.” I had no idea how to address him.
“My people have no Recreational or Educational facilities. If they at least had something to read or learn it would relieve the tedium.”
He smiled at me. “Let me talk for a moment.”

He turned and started to talk in Chinese to the others in the room. There was quite a bit of chatter from several for a few minutes, and then he put up his hand and it stopped.

“I have been Honored by our King, and, by his actions my family was saved from the Japanese during the War. It is his orders that now protect us from the Communists. I can do nothing less than support you in your efforts. My Grandson Zhu Ma Chou”, he nodded at Tommy, “will attend to the details.” I tried to thank him, but he waved me away. He spoke in rapid Chinese to Tommy as the girl who led us here backoned Ian and I to leave.

Afterwards Tommy arranged for funds with the people at the Department store and I would go there and make whatever selection I wished, up to three hundred books. Then another thousand or so would be supplied from British Charities and Sir Shoushon Chou would pay for the shipping an delivery.

That’s almost the end of the story but I must add that I did create a lot of new book readers. A few men in the Camp enjoyed a good book and before long most of the camp had joined them.

At last they had something to fill their time.

1944 Quonset Library - Gilbert Islands, WW2

A conversation with Linda Olsson by Kim Allen-Niesen

Jo Canham is sharing the story of starting her bookshop up. Here’s Part 1 and Part 2

Shane Gottwals shares his views on franchising a Bookstore

We invited some new writers to join us and were quite pleased with the response. One was Kim Allen-Neison of Bookstore People. Her idea of reading adventure books with the kids was terrific.

Some of our regulars added terrific pieces as well, from Nora sharing some brilliant cover art from the 70s to Shane giving us his opinion on choosing your opening hours (which I completely agree with). Tom Nealon gave us his view on the growing trend in Vampire fiction.

And finally a beautiful poem by John Pollard on Why I Have a Book Store.

Hope you enjoy these.

Google and Microsoft started in times like these.

I remember hearing in the mid 1980’s that the best time to open a new business was during a recession and, being a mostly-unemployed electrician at the time I took the leap and opened the doors of the first Fair’s Fair October 13th, 1988 with 7300 books.

Knowing nothing about business … or books either for that matter – I spent many solitary hours in a 4300 square foot basement used book storage space (it was supposed to be a sales outlet) located on a main thoroughfare – only one block outside the local community’s shopping area. There was plenty of time to spend learning about business and books. And I bought books – as many and as often as possible.

Six months later a lady who was visiting from Thailand ventured into our shop and said “I have travelled all over the world and this is the best bookstore I have ever been in!” I was shocked because even then I had a vision for what a book business could be – and knew we were nowhere near it.

Now I realize what she was reacting to was how well organized our inventory was and how neat and clean and well lighted the store appeared compared to what most other used books stores were presenting to the world at the time.

After that people who visited the store would often say as they were leaving “I’ll be back.” When I told that to another used book store operator they told me that was not something they were hearing.

Now, in all humility, after 20 years in business we hear both phrases often – but we do not take anything for granted – and there are about twenty of us continuously working toward my vision of what a book business could be.

A book store should be developed primarily to serve its own community.

Local entrepreneurs who think selling books on the internet is somehow feasible seem locked in a fool’s game. On the surface it looks like Amazon, ABE and eBay may be providing a valuable service to readers but their success is a house of cards dependent upon local booksellers doing all the work for them while they take their ever increasing commissions off every sale. Now Google is getting into the act as well and some are predicting the demise of the retail book business as a result of their money making scheming.

I recall being at a book convention in Chicago about ten years ago listening to independent booksellers complaining about Barnes & Noble and Borders Books chain stores wiping out the small book stores. Within a week or so I saw statistics indicating book buying had increased dramatically with the advent of the superstores.

We are now seeing it with the auto industry – for years it was the Japanese auto industry that was eating into their markets and causing them pain but they were lockstepped in their old ways of doing business and complained rather than innovated.

The natural tendency of mankind seems to be to work toward a goal, reach it and then start to relax and take it easy. In the overall time period of evolution we are still at the amoeba stage but we should still be astute enough to have observed that nature abhors any state of equilibrium. As soon as it detects such a state decay sets in.

There will always be someone brighter than the rest of us coming along with a plan to scoop the cream off the top of any enterprise. But remember, there is a lot more milk in this world than cream. In this case the milk represents all the real work that still needs to be done to really serve customers.

I have learned it is best to get excited when problems crop up because a growing business is always changing and it will always be difficult – that takes out all the competition who are looking for the easy path and forces all the survivors to innovate and provide the better service customers deserve.

You might be surprised to hear that 2008 was a banner year for us – sales advanced by 17.24% and customers by 28.67% and the first quarter of this year sales improved by 10.7% over the first quarter last year. Next year we plan to open 4 more stores.

My computer programmer said he thought our business was recession proof but I told him that during previous downturns we had suffered life everyone else. I think the difference we are experiencing now is a result of two things – 20 years of working to improve our business model and having 4 high visibility stores keeping our name in front of the public.

Success in the book business requires more work than brains and for that I am truly thankful.

George H – Fair’s Fair, Calgary, AB.

The first one is a great post from George of Fairs Fair Books on the business of book selling, locations and Universal Truths.

My own favorite is a video by Philosopher Dan Dennett on memes.

The posting that received the most comments and email is another of my favorites. Don’t get attached to your mistakes by Tom Nealon.

Finally our biggest development this month has been the addition of our terrific writers. Tom of Pazzo Books, George of Fairs Fair, William of Hang Fire and Dana of Windy Hill have all helped bring you some insightful information and shared experiences. I hope you’ll visit their sites.