Is the Sun Setting On Black Bookstores?

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Author Message   Njanene Newbie Poster Username: Njanene Post Number: 10 Registered: 04-2004 Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) Posted on Wednesday, July 07, 2004 - 07:16 pm:        I wrote this commentary for the L.I.S.T. newsletter. What are your thoughts? Is the Sun Setting on Black Bookstores N. Janene McGee LIST July 2004 In the not-so-distant past, I was a discount card-carrying member of Barnes & Nobles. I would go into the mammoth bookstore at a minimum of once per week, browsing through the aisles for books. Looking back, I sometimes wonder what influenced my decision to open my own bookstore. I know that lack of selection (black books) was a part of my decision. I was tired of ordering books at the counter after discovering that my latest pick wasn’t a part of the “black books table.” I was sick of paying full price for books that I knew would be discounted if they were more mainstream. It didn’t take me long to discover that selling books is a hard business, especially African-American books. I spent five months building my website, taking into account all of the things I thought it would need. I beamed with pride the first time I published kisobooks.com. Soon after, as people began to learn about KISO Books, they would stop by my little spot located in what some would call the heart of the “Columbus Ghetto.” I tried to meet my customers’ needs by removing my books from storage boxes and displaying them in shelves. Recently, I have discovered that I could fail. But maybe not for the reason most people would think. And within my discovery, I also found out that I was not alone. Black bookstores around the country are disappearing with the wind. Since KISO Books arrived in early 2002, several notable bookstores have closed their doors, including Apple Bookstore in Detroit and Sibayne in Maryland. Other bookstores are gasping for breath, such as Black Images Book Bazaar in Texas. Each time I hear about a black bookstore closing, I can’t help but wonder if I could be next. It would be easy to join the Amazon Affiliate Club and sell the company’s books for it, but I don’t think I could. I wonder if other bookstores have the same issues as KISO—small space, small inventory, and a location that isn’t what I would call ideal. Many people have asked me if I ever thought about moving. Of course, I have. But I can’t help but think that KISO wouldn’t be where it is today if I were stuck with higher rental payments, utilities, etc. At the same time, I can’t escape the fact that KISO can’t reach its full potential in its current state. I have posed two questions to myself as a book buyer and a bookseller: How can I save black bookstores and how can I save my own bookstore? For the latter question, I first have to face some harsh realities. The big boys (Barnes & Nobles, Borders, Amazon) have caught whiff of the Black book buying dollar and they have jumped into the game. They offer deep discounts most independent bookstores can’t even dream about (even Wal-Mart offers some Black titles up to 45% off). Black book buyers want the same experience they have in the larger bookstores; wide aisles, great selections, and variety (i.e. Starbucks anyone?). But at the heart of it all, the black bookstore, KISO included, must meet the needs of the community. Black bookstore owners may want to consider the following to help the bottom line: 1) Seek diverse avenues of income by offering more than just books (i.e. artwork, DVDs, etc.) 2) Offer titles that appear on national bestseller lists. (The bottom line is, you will probably make more money selling the latest John Grisham novel than some Black titles). 3) Become a community partner (seek out your customers so they won’t have to find you). 4) Consider smaller spaces in better locations. 5) Offer a discount card for a yearly fee ($ 10-25) 6) Offer more events (events don’t necessarily have to be at your physical location) 7) Get interns (save on employment costs by finding students who want to learn more about business or entrepreneurship and who are willing to work for free). Remember, your customer base wants to support you—give them a reason to keep coming back. Although I am foremost a bookseller, I am also a book buyer. It sometimes surprises people that I frequent another black bookstore in Columbus. I also visit some of the larger bookstores from time to time. One thing I’ve realized as a consumer is that I do want to support black businesses. As a Black businesswoman, I know that my customers what to support me. I also know that support is a two-way street. I have to keep building relationships to solidify my support. I also have to maintain the highest possible level of professionalism when selling my books. If I can’t do those things, my bookstore is sure to fail. On the other hand, I know that Black bookstores have to maintain. I don’t want to imagine a world where big bookstores decide what I read. It would be the end of Black literature as we know it. I believe there are several steps customers can take to help save black bookstores: 1) Buy at least one item per month from your local Black bookstore and encourage others to do the same. 2) If you are a part of a book club, encourage your book club to purchase their selections from Black bookstores. 3) Let your bookseller know how they can improve service to you. 4) Attend the booksellers’ events when you get a chance. I often wonder if the sun will set on black bookstores. I know that KISO, like many black bookstores across the country, must evolve in order to survive. The shadows are lingering, but I believe that with hard work and perseverance, there can be better days ahead.   Emanuel Regular Poster Username: Emanuel Post Number: 46 Registered: 03-2004 Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) Posted on Wednesday, July 07, 2004 - 08:19 pm:        Thanks for the post N. Janene. It sounds like price and marketing are your biggest obstacles. Can you tell us how the big stores can offer discounts while the smaller one can't? Maybe the smaller stores can do like Wal-Mart and refuse to carry a publisher's title without receiving a discount. Sounds like you could use a gimmick too. Maybe you can encourage authors to have exclusive book signings at your store by paying for their travel arrangements. I doubt that location has too much to do with it, except for some minor factors. I wish you the best.   Njanene Newbie Poster Username: Njanene Post Number: 11 Registered: 04-2004 Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) Posted on Wednesday, July 07, 2004 - 10:05 pm:        Emanuel, Thanks for your response. Let me try to offer as much insight as I can into my experiences as a bookseller. I can receive anywhere from a 30% discount (mostly educational publishers) to a 60% discount from publishers. I can get a discount of 46-47% from most of the big boys (Random House, Simon & Schuster). Most distributors offer a discount of 40-42%. The big stores attract customers by offering the deep discounts, however, they generally only break even for those books but most of the time, they lose money. For example, when Amazon sold hundreds of thousands of the latest Harry Potter title at 40% off, it didn't make a dime. The customer is sucked in by the "loss leader" (term for the discount). Small bookstores don't have the luxury of offering loss leaders. Deep pockets can absorb the cost of deep discounts. Believe me, no one is going into Wal-Mart to just buy a book. Therefore, the big boys end up making money by the other stuff customers buy. The book-signings help a lot. Random House sends an author my way every now and then (3 this year). My events (16 authors this year in various capacities) have kept KISO going. However, most authors will tell you that Columbus is a tough market (I have to agree in some respects). In KISO's case, I believe that my location is about 60-70% of the problem. I can't tell you the number of times I've seen faces turn when I tell them where KISO is located. And if I had a dollar for every person that told me they would patronize me if I was "further East or further North", I wouldn't need a bookstore. :-) I am not in the zone yet where I can actually see the doors closing, however, there is a change in the air that's unnerving. I am in the process of making some major changes in order for KISO to grow. I do admit that I've been pretty closed off from the literary world outside of Columbus and I am trying to make more connections. I'm hoping I will have the opportunity to make it up to the Harlem Book Fair to browse and meet and greet this year. Thanks for the wishes.   Abm "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Abm Post Number: 442 Registered: 04-2004 Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) Posted on Thursday, July 08, 2004 - 11:44 am:        Njanene, I think the link below highlights the gravest threat to your business. http://www.thumperscorner.com/discus/messages/1/1347.html?1089301132   Cynique "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Cynique Post Number: 733 Registered: 01-2004 Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) Posted on Thursday, July 08, 2004 - 01:12 pm:        It's a sign of the times, Njanene. Not only book stores but all small independently-owned businesses, black and white, are going under, thanks to giants like Barnes and Noble and WalMart. It's sad. Because there's so much charm and intimacy to small books stores, places where you are actually on a first-name basis with the owner who is usually very knowledgable about the latest books.