The Next Best Book Club discussion

Have a wonderful little coffee shop with cute little tables to tempt people to stay and read a little longer.

I have big, overstuffed chairs everywhere. I'd also have a very brightly painted children's area. I mean liek psychedelic bright, but the rest of the store would be calming blues, greens and yellows. I'd also like an EXTENSIVE book mark section.

I would have it in a hipsterish neighbourhood with lots of young families and may sure I have reading hours etc.

I don't know if it would work out, but I think it would be nice to have a "lending" or "renting" section for kids. I know that there is usually a HUGE waiting list for popular kids books at our library. Another outlet for that would be nice. Book stores must get at least a few free copies of bestsellers.

I'd go with Kandice on the chairs. I hate going to Barnes and having to sit on those uncomfortable coffee shop chairs cause the 2 couches are taken. GRRR. I'd have butt loads of chairs.

My book store wouldn't have a childrens section and wouldn't encourage parents to bring their children. I LOVE kids but not when I'm trying to read. Salt Lake libraries have become day cares with children screaming up and down the aisle. Serenity NOW!

And there would be no romance section. *runs away before the beatings begin*

I wouldn't be opposed to a door between the children's section and the rest of the store, but it would be sacriledge not to have one. I can't count the hours my children and I have whiled away in book stores. They are very quiet and respectful, though. Well, inbook stores and libraries anyway! :D

Kandice I will allow your children into my bookstore. There will, of course, be plenty of YA selection. But as soon as they become teenagers they are out. Teenagers...the worst. Ugg.

And there will also be a Harry Potter shrine.

And a life size worm from Dune.

Felina wrote: "And a life size worm from Dune."

LOL Won't leave much room for books, unless it's a little maker!

LOL Felina :)

You might all think I'm crazy, but I would want it to look just like a 1920's Shanghai opium den, but with books instead of pipes. I love the feel of reading in the deep, rich red colors, the loungie bed/futon type seating with plush carpet.

I would paint my walls sage green with ivory crown molding and trim. There would be brown leather chairs and couches. I would have a kid's section, but it would be closed off. Every Saturday afternoon, I would host a story-time for kids with milk and cookies. In the adult section, I would set aside a couple of small, furnished rooms for book clubs to meet in. And I would have a professor from one of the local colleges teach a basic creative writing class. Wow, this sounds like fun- I need a backer!

F1Wild, great idea, but keep the pipes.

j wrote: "F1Wild, great idea, but keep the pipes."
That would be in the VIP section. ;-))

Felina wrote: "I'd go with Kandice on the chairs. I hate going to Barnes and having to sit on those uncomfortable coffee shop chairs cause the 2 couches are taken. GRRR. I'd have butt loads of chairs.

My book ..."

LOL I'm with you on the kid's section! Every time my sister brings her kids to the bookstore, she spends the whole time chasing them around and looking at kids book. She doesn't get to browse around at all for herself! I know lots of people love kids, but they certainly bring down the enjoyability of darn-near everything for their parents...

However, I gotta disagree on the romance thing... I love some romance every now and then :o)

I have to say, I have no idea what my bookshop would actually look like... There would probably be a lot of pretty dark colors, like blue, maroon, dark green, etc... There might also be murals along the top of the walls. That's about all I have.

One thing I would have for my store? A kick-ass membership program (because the ones for Borders and B&N in my area aren't that great, and I've had both.)

And I'd have GOOD sales, not that buy-3-get-4th-free junk. Because I know that when I'm in a bookstore and I see a book I like, I'm usually like "Well, I could probably get this cheaper on Amazon..." The only way bookstores are going to beat Amazon is if they can lower prices, put out good coupons, or have great sales.

I'd also have a used book section, where people could get credits for bringing in used books and the used books would be pretty cheap.

Man, there's a beautiful bookstore in my mom's town, Shelburne Falls (a gorgeous little town in Western Mass) that went up for sale a ways back...my wife and I were sorely tempted. But then we found out that the total yearly income from it was like $3,000. Ouch.

F1, I love your idea. And also I think you're crazy.

We would have a big fishtank. And cats. And dogs. And...and monkeys!

I like the idea of the cats & dogs (not sure about the monkeys). We always used to have a wonderful dog visiting in my dental office. Dakota was the sweetest, loving Border Collie who made all of the patients (even those scared shitless) comfortable.
We would just have to have ones that didn't shed!

Ooo cats. I like it. Dogs not so much. Every book shelf needs a lazy cat.
Suzanne - Love the professor that teaches creative writing. I'd go to your bookstore.
Sarah - I know right.
Alex - No monkeys. An animal that looks like a little dude? Freaks me out.

I'd love to create themed areas which when walking in you're taken to another world. So maybe a Genie's Lamp with cushy cushions and throw pillows with a 360 painted scene from some of fantasy's finest and next door could be the sci-fi space cafe with glow in the dark furniture. OOOOORRRR I'll do a magical wooded glade!


The kid's section will have animal footprints on the ground leading 'em to a treasure trove of favorite children's classics. I'd have a huge stage for puppet shows, improv shows and even the story time part!

Teens would have fluffy cubes to plug in their electronic devices while doing homework and reading the latest manga. I'd have that zone comic-manga'd out with a small tribute (gag) to the vamp-fairy-angel-emo biggies. Maybe have some dress-up masquerades for 'em. Or how to create your cosplay outfit.

Travel would be a huge map on the ground with history sections too!

Really I think my shop would be more of a historical musuem with books and funky furniture! I just might create an upper east side posh reading room where folks who bought books can go sit down and read -- receipts are checked! This way I don't lose money...I hope!

I'd love for the old world classics to be in this wardrobe! http://enterthestory.com/images/books...

And maybe an area where baby bunnies, chicks or cats/dogs can visit now and again.

That sounds pretty awesome, I gotta say, Tanja. You'd have my business.

Wow this is a real bookstore. Love it!
http://img1.eyefetch.com/p/ga/1134630...

tanja - your description reminds me a lot of my local library! the kids section is entered through a tree and the teen area is just how you describe.

Manday, I'd love to see the kids section!

Alex, yeah. I'm about bringing fantasy to life. One of my favorite spots at Disney is an Alice in Wonderland cafe at their Disney Interactive game center. It has these GORGEOUS red velvet plush couches with wacky shapes. In between 'em are these cute lil tea tables where you can hook up your laptop.

I bet if someone pitches an interactive library/museum for one of the major cities, it MIGHT do good business.

I just think of it as a hub for community groups. A way to network with your neighbors. These days most 'burbs, you cannot play in the streets so kids/teens are dumped at malls or arcades. Why not make the library/bookstore over the top? :)

I would love a kids-free bookstore! Please don't take offense - it's just when those of us non-kiddie folks would like a slow, easy browse we don't necessarily want to do it with children running all over the place with their food/drink/toys in tow...with either the parent oblivious to everything (assuming the store itself is a babysitter) or screaming at them non-stop to "time out".

OK, rant over - now you know how my last bookstore visit went. ;-))

Maybe just a different floor or something. I agree, as one of the Gloriously Childless, sometimes I have less patience for other peoples' kids than others.

I love the interactive library / museum idea, Tanja. You have some awesome ideas.

Yes, Tanya's ideas are great...maybe with the kids in a completely separate annex?

You must think I'm horrible - wanting dogs/cats, but nixing the kiddies.

F1Wild wrote: "I would love a kids-free bookstore! Please don't take offense - it's just when those of us non-kiddie folks would like a slow, easy browse we don't necessarily want to do it with children running ..."

Well said!!

Don't forget:

1) A fully stocked bar (both coffee and libations)

2) A cool area for authors to come and do readings


Speaking of the kiddie issue: I was just at an author reading at my local indie last week. Their area for readings is on the same floor as the kids section. So here was the author talking about cervical cancer and other gynecological issues as well as race issues over a microphone while 3-7 year olds were running around screaming behind us. It was oh so odd.

A few stiff drinks would have helped everyone in this case!

The kids could probably care less - it was their parents who would instill the squeamishness in them when probably not necessary.

I second the bar recommendation - let's hear it for Mango Margaritas!!!

I like bookstores that are like labrynths, with lots of secret nooks and crannies, where you have to visit several times before you figure out exactly where things are.

F1Wild wrote: "The kids could probably care less - it was their parents who would instill the squeamishness in them when probably not necessary."

I wish their parents had been squeamish enough to whisk the terrors away! The kids were screaming at the top of their lungs, and the staff wasn't doing anything. grrr. I think the most uncomfortable person was the poor author. She started talking quieter, and having to repeat herself frequently after the screams. But it was an excellent author event in the end!

Oooh, I second the labyrinth suggestion Manday! Maybe a secret, tall room with ladders and a walkway. Maybe a squishy floor in there, so when I go hunting up high for 2666 after a few Mojitos, I can land softly. ;)

Best thread ever! I love your bookstore ideas.

If money is no issue and I don't have to worry about my bookstore being profitable, then I want it to be an entomology only bookstore. There are so many books about bugs that I want but can never find. And I would have a cafe there too, with tea and coffee. The cool part would be it would be full of live bugs. There'd be tropical plants and flowers with butterflies, stick bugs, honeybees, and beetles flying everywhere. The beekeepers would collect fresh honey for tea and squeeze it right out of the frame for you.

I'd have so much fun finding the books for it. You could have everything from The Metamorphosis to Magic School Bus Inside a Beehive to The Superorganism: The Beauty, Elegance, and Strangeness of Insect Societies!

Well first off I'd go out of business way too soon unless I have alot of mutilple copies of some of the books ( I would keep alot of them for me). I think I would want a little bit of the feel of The Shop Around The Corner (I think thats the name) from the movie You've Got Mail. In the Different sections I'd have a picture painted on the wail that deals with that genre. I'd have different writers come to read their book and do a signing at least every month. Since I know that not all kids behave while their parents shop for books I'd have a room where you can take your kids and it will have story time and a few toys. That way you can look at all the sections while your kids are being watched.

Ha...I love your idea, Jayme. You know I'd be there. I'd be, like, your only customer.

You sure would, Alex.

With my bookstore idea, the children's section would be separate. I remember when I was in Europe, going to a furniture store (not Ikea) with my mother. They had a kiddie daycare. This sorta is the same idea - put the kids in a section on their own so they don't intrude upon the others with shrieks.

And teens having their own space may make them feel a little more grown-up. I might put some classic lit near their section or a rack - classics teens may like!

Jayme, I've been to a breakfast place/diner that was exactly like you described minus bugs. It had parrots and a LOT of greenery. LOOOOVED IT!

Cindy, with your bar idea it could turn out well if it was mixed with a light jazz night or poetry in the wall spot. Add in the leather and labryinth with spiral staircases...you have the makings of a gorgeous spot.

If you google - beautiful bookstore - you'll come across images of an opera house or theater (don't know which) that was transformed into a bookstore. Simply amazing!