TYPE: Independent
Region: Northwest
Location: At a strategic intersection,
by a suburban downtown area and a main traffic artery
APPEARANCE:
INVENTORY:
STAFF:

External appearance: Though the corner spot on a major thoroughfare is a prime location, the store’s lackluster look made a dull first impression. A roofline reader board advertised a new book title.

Window display: Four shoulder-height windows were disappointingly empty, save for a solitary DaySpring placard. The clean glass front door announced store hours, but the absence of street-level signage left passers-by clueless about what was within.

Entrance: Several feet past the entrance were various vertical racks and spinners of individual and boxed cards—with numerous empty spots—while the wall immediately to the right displayed three throw-type blankets and three neckties.

Layout and inventory: A long card display unit dominated the main sales floor. Five rooms on the right side of the store and two in the back invited investigation, but the lack of signage was confusing.

The first room on the right held a children’s play area with a table, toys and a colorful floor mat. Another side room contained Bibles and a hefty binder of publisher catalogs; another had assorted first communion, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and graduation gifts; another had sale items; and the final side room had children’s product mingled with church resources.

The children’s product room contained a little bit of everything, but most plentiful were books, pastel wall décor, baby powder-scented candles and baby gifts—from frames to plush.

At the back of the store was a shuttered office and another room, which appeared to contain used books.
Throughout the main part of the store, gift items were scattered on tables and cubes. A round spinner of mugs was half empty, as were two jewelry displays.

Summer-themed goods were scantily arrayed on a table under the front window. One rounder of shirts sported a sign saying “2 for $22.”

A wall and table display of Da Vinci Code-related books and tracts was tucked away in a corner.

Books were arranged by category, but insufficient signage meant that customers had to search to locate a topic of interest. Many titles were face-out, but backlist and current titles were so jumbled that it was impossible to spot new releases. Oversized titles were displayed sideways—very disconcerting.

This store must have Spanish and Catholic customers, as a tiny row of Spanish goods—books, two boxed Bibles and tracts—were stuck on a bottom shelf, and Catholic titles and rosaries were mixed with other product.
The cash wrap desk held a mixture of fliers, donation boxes for a food bank and for gift-wrap services, and various baskets of pins and plastic bracelets. Posters at knee-level advertised Christian school and local events.

Appearance:
Anemic, rather worn, but quite tidy.

Staff: The one employee assisted the occasional customer. She also made a phone call about a special order and straightened merchandise.

After I had been in the store for about five minutes, she approached me and appeared to have a genuine desire to be helpful, but she was baffled at what to suggest for a tween-age baptism gift. She offered to order a recently released contemporary music title not in stock.

Verdict: Find a couple of categories that sell best and beef them up rather than offering a few items in every category. Weed out old product. Create attractive, cohesive signage to direct visitors to what’s available. Use window spaces to draw attention.

If this were your regular store? I would shop online. There was little to see or experience at this store.

Who would feel comfortable in this store? Someone with lots of time to browse for a hidden treasure, card shoppers, older folk who like peace and quiet, someone who knows what they’re looking for and is willing to wait for a special order.

What will you remember a week from now? The sweet attitude of the staffer trying to help.

THE STORE OWNER RESPONDS: While my first reaction to the critique of our store was defensive, upon further reflection I am grateful. Christian bookselling has become rather challenging over the last several years, but that doesn’t mean we can stop doing our best to serve our customers well. Your observations of our store will help us to improve.