More than half my articles on Live in Limbo have been about the uncertainty of the book industry. Perhaps this is a drum that I’ve been beating for far too long, but one must admit that the tale of the book versus the ebook is an epic one indeed to an avid reader and book lover.
Though writing about the book industry was great, I still wanted to contribute to and participate in book history myself. I wanted to hold the books in my own hands and pass them along to others, knowing with each transaction that a little bit of the book survived.
So what did I do?
I opened my own bookstore!
Alright, maybe the term “bookstore” is a bit of a misnomer. I didn’t open my own physical store, per se, but I have become a bookseller in my own right – licensed and everything!
For those strapped for time, here is a quick breakdown of the become-a-bookseller process:
1)Fall in love with books 2)Evaluate the market 3)Despair at the doomsayers’ proclamations regarding the Fall of the Book 4)Decide to save the book market, or at least contribute to the market’s longevity in some way (i.e. in supplying books to interested customers) 5)Think up a business name and logo 6)Register your business name 7)Open a business banking account 8)Contact suppliers 9)Set up a website 10)Set up a Facebook page 11)Set up a Twitter account 12)Beseech friends and family to become your “fan” online, hoping online fame will consequently lead to real life interest in your business 13)Request for book requests 14)Do not receive any requests because, let’s face it, nothing really goes right the first time around 15)Order books anyways, preparing for the worst (the worst = adding a whole lot of books to your personal library at the expense of your food budget) 16)Receive books 17)Sell books (Hopefully. This has not yet occurred)
Bluntly titled The Book Cart, my business is my answer to the world’s dwindling reading culture. It distresses me to see that only one large bookseller is available in my community (Chapters). As my “Indie vs. Indigo” article explained, the triumph of Indigo is not necessarily a bad thing, but I can’t help wondering… How does Indigo continue opening stores while independent bookstores are continually closing? And what does this mean for our community?
By becoming a bookseller in my own right, I am involving myself in the industry that has been largely mysterious and allusive to me. The Book Cart begins.
As stated on our website, The Book Cart is a mobile bookstore that brings great literature directly to our customers. We sell new releases, classics and community work from a variety of publishers. As a result of its mobility, The Book Cart adapts to a variety of environments and, as a result, is a rich addition to a variety of vendors and venues. We are armed and ready to collaborate with authors, residences, coffee shops, students, and other interested individuals.
At the moment, you may view our catalog online at thebookcart.ca. Ordering a book is quick, easy and may be broken down into three steps:
Step 1: E-mail us your book request (We can get you absolutely anything you want, from sci-fi to game guides to romance to lit theory) Step 2: Collaborate payment and pick-up/delivery options with us. Step 3: Receive your book.
To be frank, I did not start The Book Cart with large profits in mind. Though my ultimate dream is to make a living running a bookstore of my own, the real allure of the bookselling business are the books themselves. I lovethe smell and feel of a new book in my hands and my love, for better or for worse, is the reason why my prices are so low. I get cheap books, you get cheap books, we all get cheap books – no one loses. Publishers are still making sales and everyone is still reading.
Despite the fact that my previous articles have illustrated the precariousness of contemporary bookselling, I still can’t help jumping onto the bookselling wagon. When I discuss The Book Cart with my parents, they always warn me against too much personal and financial investment. “What benefit is in it for you,” they ask, “if you’re selling books at cost without the revenues to support the time and effort you invest?” Well, time may be money, but time spent on something I love? That’s priceless.
With that being said, please feel free to scope out The Book Cart and drop us a line via e-mail (contact@thebookcart.ca). We can get you anything and everything – whatever you want, as long as it’s a book and as long as you’re interested.
By Mia Herrera
More than half my articles on Live in Limbo have been about the uncertainty of the book industry. Perhaps this is a drum that I’ve been beating for far too long, but one must admit that the tale of the book versus the ebook is an epic one indeed to an avid reader and book lover.
Though writing about the book industry was great, I still wanted to contribute to and participate in book history myself. I wanted to hold the books in my own hands and pass them along to others, knowing with each transaction that a little bit of the book survived.
So what did I do?
I opened my own bookstore!
Alright, maybe the term “bookstore” is a bit of a misnomer. I didn’t open my own physical store, per se, but I have become a bookseller in my own right – licensed and everything!
For those strapped for time, here is a quick breakdown of the become-a-bookseller process:
1)Fall in love with books 2)Evaluate the market 3)Despair at the doomsayers’ proclamations regarding the Fall of the Book 4)Decide to save the book market, or at least contribute to the market’s longevity in some way (i.e. in supplying books to interested customers) 5)Think up a business name and logo 6)Register your business name 7)Open a business banking account 8)Contact suppliers 9)Set up a website 10)Set up a Facebook page 11)Set up a Twitter account 12)Beseech friends and family to become your “fan” online, hoping online fame will consequently lead to real life interest in your business 13)Request for book requests 14)Do not receive any requests because, let’s face it, nothing really goes right the first time around 15)Order books anyways, preparing for the worst (the worst = adding a whole lot of books to your personal library at the expense of your food budget) 16)Receive books 17)Sell books (Hopefully. This has not yet occurred)
Bluntly titled The Book Cart, my business is my answer to the world’s dwindling reading culture. It distresses me to see that only one large bookseller is available in my community (Chapters). As my “Indie vs. Indigo” article explained, the triumph of Indigo is not necessarily a bad thing, but I can’t help wondering… How does Indigo continue opening stores while independent bookstores are continually closing? And what does this mean for our community?
By becoming a bookseller in my own right, I am involving myself in the industry that has been largely mysterious and allusive to me. The Book Cart begins.
As stated on our website, The Book Cart is a mobile bookstore that brings great literature directly to our customers. We sell new releases, classics and community work from a variety of publishers. As a result of its mobility, The Book Cart adapts to a variety of environments and, as a result, is a rich addition to a variety of vendors and venues. We are armed and ready to collaborate with authors, residences, coffee shops, students, and other interested individuals.
At the moment, you may view our catalog online at thebookcart.ca. Ordering a book is quick, easy and may be broken down into three steps:
Step 1: E-mail us your book request (We can get you absolutely anything you want, from sci-fi to game guides to romance to lit theory) Step 2: Collaborate payment and pick-up/delivery options with us. Step 3: Receive your book.
To be frank, I did not start The Book Cart with large profits in mind. Though my ultimate dream is to make a living running a bookstore of my own, the real allure of the bookselling business are the books themselves. I lovethe smell and feel of a new book in my hands and my love, for better or for worse, is the reason why my prices are so low. I get cheap books, you get cheap books, we all get cheap books – no one loses. Publishers are still making sales and everyone is still reading.
Despite the fact that my previous articles have illustrated the precariousness of contemporary bookselling, I still can’t help jumping onto the bookselling wagon. When I discuss The Book Cart with my parents, they always warn me against too much personal and financial investment. “What benefit is in it for you,” they ask, “if you’re selling books at cost without the revenues to support the time and effort you invest?” Well, time may be money, but time spent on something I love? That’s priceless.
With that being said, please feel free to scope out The Book Cart and drop us a line via e-mail (contact@thebookcart.ca). We can get you anything and everything – whatever you want, as long as it’s a book and as long as you’re interested.
By Mia Herrera
More than half my articles on Live in Limbo have been about the uncertainty of the book industry. Perhaps this is a drum that I’ve been beating for far too long, but one must admit that the tale of the book versus the ebook is an epic one indeed to an avid reader and book lover.
Though writing about the book industry was great, I still wanted to contribute to and participate in book history myself. I wanted to hold the books in my own hands and pass them along to others, knowing with each transaction that a little bit of the book survived.
So what did I do?
I opened my own bookstore!
Alright, maybe the term “bookstore” is a bit of a misnomer. I didn’t open my own physical store, per se, but I have become a bookseller in my own right – licensed and everything!
For those strapped for time, here is a quick breakdown of the become-a-bookseller process:
1)Fall in love with books 2)Evaluate the market 3)Despair at the doomsayers’ proclamations regarding the Fall of the Book 4)Decide to save the book market, or at least contribute to the market’s longevity in some way (i.e. in supplying books to interested customers) 5)Think up a business name and logo 6)Register your business name 7)Open a business banking account 8)Contact suppliers 9)Set up a website 10)Set up a Facebook page 11)Set up a Twitter account 12)Beseech friends and family to become your “fan” online, hoping online fame will consequently lead to real life interest in your business 13)Request for book requests 14)Do not receive any requests because, let’s face it, nothing really goes right the first time around 15)Order books anyways, preparing for the worst (the worst = adding a whole lot of books to your personal library at the expense of your food budget) 16)Receive books 17)Sell books (Hopefully. This has not yet occurred)
Bluntly titled The Book Cart, my business is my answer to the world’s dwindling reading culture. It distresses me to see that only one large bookseller is available in my community (Chapters). As my “Indie vs. Indigo” article explained, the triumph of Indigo is not necessarily a bad thing, but I can’t help wondering… How does Indigo continue opening stores while independent bookstores are continually closing? And what does this mean for our community?
By becoming a bookseller in my own right, I am involving myself in the industry that has been largely mysterious and allusive to me. The Book Cart begins.
As stated on our website, The Book Cart is a mobile bookstore that brings great literature directly to our customers. We sell new releases, classics and community work from a variety of publishers. As a result of its mobility, The Book Cart adapts to a variety of environments and, as a result, is a rich addition to a variety of vendors and venues. We are armed and ready to collaborate with authors, residences, coffee shops, students, and other interested individuals.
At the moment, you may view our catalog online at thebookcart.ca. Ordering a book is quick, easy and may be broken down into three steps:
Step 1: E-mail us your book request (We can get you absolutely anything you want, from sci-fi to game guides to romance to lit theory) Step 2: Collaborate payment and pick-up/delivery options with us. Step 3: Receive your book.
To be frank, I did not start The Book Cart with large profits in mind. Though my ultimate dream is to make a living running a bookstore of my own, the real allure of the bookselling business are the books themselves. I lovethe smell and feel of a new book in my hands and my love, for better or for worse, is the reason why my prices are so low. I get cheap books, you get cheap books, we all get cheap books – no one loses. Publishers are still making sales and everyone is still reading.
Despite the fact that my previous articles have illustrated the precariousness of contemporary bookselling, I still can’t help jumping onto the bookselling wagon. When I discuss The Book Cart with my parents, they always warn me against too much personal and financial investment. “What benefit is in it for you,” they ask, “if you’re selling books at cost without the revenues to support the time and effort you invest?” Well, time may be money, but time spent on something I love? That’s priceless.
With that being said, please feel free to scope out The Book Cart and drop us a line via e-mail (contact@thebookcart.ca). We can get you anything and everything – whatever you want, as long as it’s a book and as long as you’re interested.
By Mia Herrera
More than half my articles on Live in Limbo have been about the uncertainty of the book industry. Perhaps this is a drum that I’ve been beating for far too long, but one must admit that the tale of the book versus the ebook is an epic one indeed to an avid reader and book lover.
Though writing about the book industry was great, I still wanted to contribute to and participate in book history myself. I wanted to hold the books in my own hands and pass them along to others, knowing with each transaction that a little bit of the book survived.
So what did I do?
I opened my own bookstore!
Alright, maybe the term “bookstore” is a bit of a misnomer. I didn’t open my own physical store, per se, but I have become a bookseller in my own right – licensed and everything!
For those strapped for time, here is a quick breakdown of the become-a-bookseller process:
1)Fall in love with books 2)Evaluate the market 3)Despair at the doomsayers’ proclamations regarding the Fall of the Book 4)Decide to save the book market, or at least contribute to the market’s longevity in some way (i.e. in supplying books to interested customers) 5)Think up a business name and logo 6)Register your business name 7)Open a business banking account 8)Contact suppliers 9)Set up a website 10)Set up a Facebook page 11)Set up a Twitter account 12)Beseech friends and family to become your “fan” online, hoping online fame will consequently lead to real life interest in your business 13)Request for book requests 14)Do not receive any requests because, let’s face it, nothing really goes right the first time around 15)Order books anyways, preparing for the worst (the worst = adding a whole lot of books to your personal library at the expense of your food budget) 16)Receive books 17)Sell books (Hopefully. This has not yet occurred)
Bluntly titled The Book Cart, my business is my answer to the world’s dwindling reading culture. It distresses me to see that only one large bookseller is available in my community (Chapters). As my “Indie vs. Indigo” article explained, the triumph of Indigo is not necessarily a bad thing, but I can’t help wondering… How does Indigo continue opening stores while independent bookstores are continually closing? And what does this mean for our community?
By becoming a bookseller in my own right, I am involving myself in the industry that has been largely mysterious and allusive to me. The Book Cart begins.
As stated on our website, The Book Cart is a mobile bookstore that brings great literature directly to our customers. We sell new releases, classics and community work from a variety of publishers. As a result of its mobility, The Book Cart adapts to a variety of environments and, as a result, is a rich addition to a variety of vendors and venues. We are armed and ready to collaborate with authors, residences, coffee shops, students, and other interested individuals.
At the moment, you may view our catalog online at thebookcart.ca. Ordering a book is quick, easy and may be broken down into three steps:
Step 1: E-mail us your book request (We can get you absolutely anything you want, from sci-fi to game guides to romance to lit theory) Step 2: Collaborate payment and pick-up/delivery options with us. Step 3: Receive your book.
To be frank, I did not start The Book Cart with large profits in mind. Though my ultimate dream is to make a living running a bookstore of my own, the real allure of the bookselling business are the books themselves. I lovethe smell and feel of a new book in my hands and my love, for better or for worse, is the reason why my prices are so low. I get cheap books, you get cheap books, we all get cheap books – no one loses. Publishers are still making sales and everyone is still reading.
Despite the fact that my previous articles have illustrated the precariousness of contemporary bookselling, I still can’t help jumping onto the bookselling wagon. When I discuss The Book Cart with my parents, they always warn me against too much personal and financial investment. “What benefit is in it for you,” they ask, “if you’re selling books at cost without the revenues to support the time and effort you invest?” Well, time may be money, but time spent on something I love? That’s priceless.
With that being said, please feel free to scope out The Book Cart and drop us a line via e-mail (contact@thebookcart.ca). We can get you anything and everything – whatever you want, as long as it’s a book and as long as you’re interested.
