A question submitted by one of our readers, Dick Baines. He would love some help from our community in finding out the proper valuation of a used bookshop. Any comments on the question are very much appreciated (just click on the Title of the article to get to the comment section). – Bruce *************************** I recently retired after 42 years in the accounting field. For various reasons, I neither want nor can afford to retire. An acquaintance who has owned a used bookstore for about 25 years needs to retire and I am considering purchasing his shop. I understand no one gets rich in this particular business, which isn’t my goal, but a reasonable return is necessary. His accounting records are less than stellar,as his operation is a typical “mom
Reader Inquiries Archive
Here’s a question from one of our readers out in San Francisco, Roland Salvato. If you have any advice for him please leave a comment below. Thanks. I am putting together a consignment bookshop for Antiquarian and Rare collectors (and booksellers) who wish to sell their books in a high-foot traffic location rather than just online. I need advice putting this together and so I am turning to my resources (you, for example) for advice. I am financing the bookshop location (possibly Ghirardelli Square), which will have the look and feel of an antique library, plus cafe, plus area for events. Anyone you suggest I communicate with about moving forward with this idea? Thank you. Roland
I live in a regional mining town in Queensland Australia with a population of 90,000 and over the last few months a friend of mine have decided that we are going to start researching our business idea. We would like to open a bookstore cafe. From the bookstore perspective it would have both a new and used section, at this stage not focusing on a particular niche genre. The cafe will be connected to the bookstore and ideally you would need to walk through the cafe to get to the books. It would be a pre-prepared cafe, as in no hot food unless able to be toasted in a sandwich press or heated in a microwave. That is sandwiches, paninis, cakes, biscuits and such. And
Hi, I just read Judy Riggs article Training a Book to be a Salesman, and I would like to ask if someone could refer me to a company that makes shelf talker holders or clips for wooden bookshelves. Our shelves are different widths, and I can’t seem to find what I’m looking for. I enjoy your blog, and I would appreciate your help! Best Regards, Jason Oakes
From time to time we get questions from our readers. Here’s a good one that comes up from time to time. We’d love to hear from some of you, especially sellers that have multiple locations and therefore perspective from different angles. Which is more important when choosing a store location? Visibility or price? I am looking at two possible locations. Both are in town a couple of miles apart. They are similar in square footage but the first one has a lot more backroom storage area available. The first one is an end unit of a shopping center and can’t be seen from the road, although people entering the shopping center from a side road will see it easily when they enter the shopping center. The