DENISE'S BOOKS

Ad for my bookstore 1995

Last week I posted on Face Book pictures from the days when I ran a bookstore from my home. It was something I'd always wanted to do as a book lover. I had my chance when I was fired from a job at a swanky St. Louis prep school because of my dreadlocks. As the only black person working there at the time, my hair made the parents uncomfortable. But that's another story.

Unemployed, I signed up for Unemployment Benefits and moved on. I volunteered at The St. Louis Black Repertory Theater, too, another thing I thought I'd like to try. Very flexible hours.

A good friend gave me a really old computer. Way better than the no computer I had. I talked to the nice retired people at SCORE to work on a business plan. I looked at locations and found one I thought would be perfect. It had lots of foot traffic. Big plate glass windows. A real estate person walked me through the building and I dreamed and dreamed of a bookstore with a performance space and a coffee bar. I visualized poetry readings, book readings and signings and a jazz trio. It would be just great.

Then I found out how much it would cost. My business plan was bare bones, more work than I was willing to do.  I decided that in the meantime I would operate out of my apartment. I used my spare bedroom as the bookstore. Word of mouth helped a lot. I lugged books to my friends' jobs. I got women hooked on black romance novels.

One of my most brilliant ideas was at the time of the Million Man March on Washington. I found out where the men were leaving on buses from St. Louis and I showed up with several duffle bags of books I thought these conscious men would enjoy. They bought every last book.

My friend Bootsie thought it would be a good idea for me to have a newsletter with book recommendations.  I thought it was a good idea, too. She was a whiz at putting that together for me.  I already had lots of book recommendations written up. We came up with a contest to name the newsletter. The contest drew lots of suggestions.

I attended book club meetings bringing the book of the month. Offering a discount for bulk orders. Making recommendations for their next month's choice.

African American Products Convention in St. Louis

I started thinking about getting a truck as my Toyota Tercel was getting old and overburdened. I toted boxes and boxes of books to an African American convention and shared a booth with my pal Bootsie. My Mom came out to support our effort.

Booksellers Convention in Chicago

I went to a booksellers convention in Chicago on the train from St. Louis. That was a lot of fun. Going out on my own, trying to make this thing work. I came home with bags and bags of samples and books about selling books and lots of new ideas.

I was really good at talking books, making recommendations, but the business side, well, not so much. I just didn't want to deal with those issues. Somewhere along the line more money was going out than was coming in. I was racking up debt at my supplier. I would go a little crazy at the book supply store, book lover that I am. I really could have used a financial person.

The day came when I knew I couldn't maintain the business. Volunteering turned into a job at the Black Rep where I met a nice man and I would soon leave town. I shut things down, had a fire sale of my inventory and my dream of running a bookstore became a bittersweet memory.

This was also around the time when bookstores were beginning to close across the country. Delivering books was a good idea, but opening a brick and mortar store was not. This was before Amazon and other online booksellers. I still get a little wistful when I see an independent bookstore but I know how difficult it is for them to remain in business. I tell you, that business thing is no joke.