Culture

Someone mentioned to me that they have seen many black bookstores come and go. I wondered what they meant, why did that apply to me. I’m not marketing Texture as a black bookstore or afrocentric bookstore. I too have seen such come and go, mostly because they don’t provide a wide selection. Which has always puzzled me as there are thousands of black authors; more than enough to fill a store if indeed you wanted to have a bookstore targeted just to that culture. My store will be a used book store (with a small new books selection) not targeted to any specific ethnic group.

His comment made me wonder, how many people will see my store as a black bookstore simply because I am black. That never occurred to me. When I think of a store or a product or a service or whatever as being ‘black’ I think of something that specifically is targeted to, for, or about black people. Like Spelman is a black college. BET is a black television station/channel. Essence is a black magazine. You get what I mean? I hope no one is disappointed when they see it is just a used bookstore not targeted specifically for black people.

Website

I put up a website for my bookstore:
Texture

I have a storefront, tentatively, the owner said he’d hold it for me no deposit until next month, then I’d have to make a decision. I am going to keep looking around as this place is smaller than I would like and has very little shelving. I’d have to put in some time getting the shelves up and stuff. On the other hand the lease on it is very affordable and includes utilties! something very important in cold Cleveland, OH. I would hate to have to freeze my customers due to not being able to afford a high heating bill.

Haters

Ok, so I have gotten a little hateration from a few folks. Nothing major, just little comments and stuff from people close to me about my opening a bookstore. A few friends started commenting about how most bookstores don’t make any money or how indie bookstores can’t compete with the chains and stuff like that. Yeah, I know that.

Another thing that has been puzzling me: so many people immediately say, Add a cafe! Add a vegetarian restaurant! Add a coffeeshop! One of my best friends wants to set up a smoothie bar in my bookstore. I’m thinking to myself as they say all this, Well none of that is my dream. And any of those ideas makes my opening a bookstore more complicated and expensive. I wonder what is there motive for suggesting these things to me. especially when they are not doing it themselves? Is it to make me doubt myself, to add so much additional pressure on me that I quit before I begin?

One of my brothers was so adamant about the vegetarian restaurant, it startled me. He kept saying I wouldn’t make any money just selling books and I really needed to do this. I told him repeatedly, I have no interest in owning a restaurant right now. At one point in my life, I did want a veggie restaurant but not anymore. It would drive me crazy because that is not where my passion lies. I love books. I love writing. I love bookstores. So I write and I’m opening a bookstore. I asked him, why don’t you go ahead and do it? He then replied, Hey I am not even vegetarian, I’m just trying to help you out with ideas for a profitable business. I thanked him and left it at that.

Storefronts

I’ve still been looking for storefronts as the space I wanted to have is no longer available. This weekend my sons and I went out footing it because a lot of places aren’t listed in the paper; they just put a ‘for rent’ up sign in the storefront window. It was an adventure, I tell you. I’ve found places as cheap as $150 a month to places as expensive as over a grand!! and deciding where I want to have my store has been a trip, too. I really should document the process.