In Episode 98, the three founders of The Book & Cover (@thebookandcover) join me to share a behind-the-scenes look at everything that goes into opening an independent, brick-and-mortar bookshop.  We discuss non-traditional way they financed the business, how they learned the reading taste of their community, and how a new indie builds its inventory.

Highlights

• Blaes and Emily talk about balancing this new venture alongside their full-time day jobs.
• How the COVID-19 pandemic impacted their decision.
• How their community played an incredible role in the first big steps.
• Between an Instagram account and a Google Doc, the simple beginnings of this endeavor.
• Going from their ‘dream space’ to their ‘dream location’.
• The role social media plays in their book buying.
• How the book-buying experience feels like a first date with publishers.
• Scarves and enamel pins and notecards, oh my!  How they approached including bookish merchandise at the store.
• Looking at backlist titles versus new releases.
• The driving factor behind knowing how many of a particular book to order.
• The way they were able to get a great sense of the reading tastes of their community.

Book Recommendations from Blaes, Emily, and Sarah [36:14]

Two OLD Books She Loves

• Emily: Rules of Civility by Amor Towles | Buy from Amazon | Buy from Bookshop.org [37:22]
• Emily: The Heart’s Invisible Furies by John Boyne | Buy from Amazon | Buy from Bookshop.org [38:28]

Other Books Mentioned: A Ladder to the Sky by John Boyne [39:40]

Two NEW Books She Loves

• Blaes: Under the Whispering Door by T. J. Klune | Buy from Amazon | Buy from Bookshop.org [40:27]
• Blaes: Dear Miss Metropolitan by Carolyn Ferrell | Buy from Amazon | Buy from Bookshop.org [42:02]

Other Books Mentioned:The House in the Cerulean Sea by T. J. Klune [41:10]

One Book They DIDN’T Love

• Blaes, Emily, and Sarah are skipping this segment, but there will be a full discussion about their thoughts on this for the November Superlatives episode available to my Patreon subscribers. [44:04]

One NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About

• Sarah: A Mirror Mended by Alix E. Harrow (June 14, 2022) | Buy from Amazon[44:19]

Other Books Mentioned:  A Spindle Splintered by Alix E. Harrow [44:27] The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow [45:04] The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow [45:05] Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine [45:18] The Sleeper and the Spindle by Neil Gaiman [45:40]

Last 5 Star Books They Read [46:34]

• Emily & Blaes: If We Were Villains by M. L. Rio | Buy from Amazon | Buy from Bookshop.org [46:48] [47:50]
• Sarah: A Little Devil in America by Hanif Abdurraqib | Buy from Amazon | Buy from Bookshop.org [48:19]

Other Books Mentioned:  The Secret History by Donna Tartt [48:11] 

Other Links

• Year of Agatha
• The Book & Cover’s Instagram post of their stocked shelves

About the Founders of The Book & Cover

Website | Instagram

Blaes Green enjoys running, knitting, wrangling kiddos, and sobbing over epic family sagas. In her day job, she manages a team of customer service representatives in manufacturing for her family’s 100-year-old Chattanooga printing business. She is running the New York City marathon in a month!

Emily Lilley enjoys cooking, playing with her dachshund Bertie, and curling up with a cozy or smart TV comedy. In her day job, she is the Vice President of External Affairs for a statewide education policy and advocacy nonprofit. Emily and her friend Audrey are writing their own mystery series!

Sarah Jackson enjoys organizing, Enneagramming, glitter, and getting lost in magical realist tales. In her day job, she is the chief operations officer of her home. In college, Sarah “beta” read fan fiction.

Next Episode

In two weeks (November 24), Susie Boutry (@NovelVisits) will join me to discuss our choices for the 2021 Best Books of the Year.