Bookstore Dreams on the Road To JuniperMoon
On location at JuniperMoon Artisan Market
How I Came to Manage a Book Nook in Paradise
About two years ago, I wanted to start a bookstore. I had inherited a nest egg; possibly enough to get one started. Enough that I let myself dream about it.
I drove around our valley, looking for properties in the right location. I began paying attention to the bookstores that were already operating in the area. How much space were they devoting to books? Was it more or less than a year ago?
Though I’m not a coffee drinker, I began checking out coffee and beverage shops. I kept hearing that if I was going to have a bookshop, I’d have to supplement it with beverages. In addition to coffee, I’d offer the best hot chocolate in the country; the not-too-sweet kind that grown-ups would drink on purpose. (I’m a food snob who grew up with confectioners in the family. I was confident I could deliver.) Maybe I’d throw in some Italian sodas.
This idea built on yet another dream of mine; I’d create a place that welcomes the old and the young, the university-centric and the permanent resident, the coffee-drinkers and the soda- and chocolate-sippers. I’d host book clubs. In a world that is becoming way too isolated, I’d create a place where people come together.
Also, I settled on the perfect name: Lit. As in, this is your brain on literature. I’d decorate the store with an eclectic mix of light fixtures.
I began sharing my thoughts with family. Soon came the first reality check: Lit? As in, this is your brain on weed?Exactly what kind of clientele was I hoping to attract here?
The next reality check: We were in the middle of an explosion of coffee shops in our valley. It’s not that my idea wasn’t viable, it was just a year too late. One of those new spots even caters specifically to both coffee- and hot chocolate drinkers.
But the biggest reason was the inheritance itself. My grandfather sacrificed a lot to pass it to my dad, from an investment that never paid off for the man who made it. It came to my dad at a time he truly needed it. It felt wrong to risk it on what I thought of as an adventure. Instead I found a stable investment and said goodbye to the bookstore dream.
I’ve questioned that decision a few times. Indie bookstores are having a moment—a lasting one, I hope.
But the bug had also bit a friend of mine; someone with experience in both operating a shop and bringing folks together. Several months ago, she asked me to help establish a book nook at JuniperMoon Artisan Market.
Carole has experience in both operating a shop and bringing folks together. She’s wearing an apron because she’s baking delicious cookies—something she does at the shop a lot.
Carole has many other things to draw people in. A good location on the road through Paradise. (That’s a town in Utah.) A shop full of artisan-made art and jewelry and hand-made journals. A location that brings in art classes and farmers’ markets. From Wednesday through Saturday, if offers the most amazing sourdough bread I’ve ever had. I don’t get a commission on the bread. I’m telling you this because it’s seriously good stuff.
It’s not often you get a second chance to live your dream, but here I am. And I’m learning, once again, that the difference between a dream and reality is a lot of hard work.
Our book offerings are starting to grow. I’m learning the fascinating world of book retail, diving into lists from publishers large and small. And I can’t wait to share this venture with the world.