I wasn't always an antiquarian bookseller. Maybe I thought I was, in some way, when Tannery Books opened its doors nearly nine years ago. But the only thing I knew about bookselling was what I had seen and enjoyed as a customer: shelves and shelves of books for browsing, places to sit and meet with people and just enjoy that bookish energy.
Alas! Having everything I'd want as a customer doesn't always equal a good bottom line, especially in a small town. I keep adapting, as you can read about in
Evolution of a Bookshop. In August 2019 I closed the booth at the antique mall. Not only was it not making a profit, it was a different audience from the wonderful bibliophiles I met at book and genealogy fairs.
While I'm still a generalist in antiquarian books (whatever looks intriguing, from 1940s diaries to an 1875 German atlas), I needed more time — and shelf space — for my specialties: Quakers, genealogy, and American history.
Moving shelves and books into my home — What?! I wouldn't have room to walk! Time for a purge. Paperbacks, older inventory, things my best customers wouldn't want, time to go. I wasn't totally ruthless (lots of Star Trek is still on the shelves), but I can proudly say at least ten boxes of books went out the door. Now to implement some of the things I learned at Colorado Antiquarian Book Seminar, such as using time and space for better books.
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