Brace yourselves--there is some math involved. Or if it's tl;nr, skip to the end to find out what you can do, and what's in it for you!
First, at the end of September we took on a really cool opportunity-slash-responsibility, as booksellers for a special event. Any bookseller will tell you that offsite events can be a gamble, and I bet wrong. I bought $4000 in books and did not make the money back, or even close. They're terrific books--no shade to the authors, nor the organizers of the event. It just wasn't a big day for anybody, but we are bearing the consequences now. We do still have most of the books, now on sale at 40% off.
Then came our Large Online Competitor's Large Fall Sale, the one that rhymes with Crime Pays. It made a measurable dent in our sales last October so I knew a hit was coming. I estimated a similar percentage drop this year, but it was in fact quite a bit larger. Ths time, that week showed a 45% reduction in sales compared to the previous week. That's a massive whack for any business, but especially a small and still relatively new place like your bookstore. Among other things, this means that almost half the people who usually come here went to the 'Zon that week. This shows how pervasive and powerful that entity is. Our folk love us, but in the face of all that relentless marketing, it's hard to remember your own name sometimes, isn't it. Click. Click. (That fall sale affects many small retailers similarly--I compared notes with some neighbours and all of us agreed our graph for the week looks like someone scooped out the middle with a melon baller. It's notably worse than the summer sale of the same name.)
Next came the rain last weekend, which just killed our normally mellow foot traffic. One expects rain in October, even heavy rain. This is a rain forest, after all. However, coming hard on the heels of the previous blows, this has put us in a really bad place.
For the first time, we are not showing growth over the same month last year. In fact, as things are going, I expect we will wind up about 25% below last October. For a small shop just into its second year, this is pretty rough. Coming on top of months of struggle to keep up with cost increases, it's devastating. We are in debt, and the hole is getting deeper. We need to turn this around.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
1. Buy books, of course--not only do we have great deals on our event overstock and clearance items, we've put together two sponsorship options that link your purchase to the specific ways your book dollars contribute to our survival. And each one comes with a little bonus for you. Click here for details.
2. Order bookstore merch! We've found a great local printer to make our Rainbow Crow gear, and we really want to put him to work! Plus when you carry a tote or wear a tee, you're letting everyone you meet know about us. Click here for details.
3. Make sure your favourite people know about your favourite bookstore! This one is really important, because to be financially resilient we must expand our community. We've got a great little deal specifically for you to give to your friends and beloveds--at no cost to you: a Buy-2 Get-1 deal just for them. And when they use it, you get a little bonus! Click here for details.
What else do you get when you support this bookstore?
A queer space. We regularly see queer and trans folks come in the door and let out a breath. Their body language changes. It's like they're taking off armour. This is what we are consciously and carefully trying to create. We hope everyone who brings good will and kindness experiences the same sense of safe harbour, but we build it with our LGBTQ2SIA community at the centre of our thoughts, and our queer folks tell us they are finding something they need here.
A place to gather. Whether it's a scheduled discussion group, a book launch, a pop-up art event, or something cool created by a community member, we offer this bookstore up as a 'third space' where you can participate in an enriched experience of books and stories and culture.
A welcoming, all-ages, free destination in the Trout Lake/South of Broadway part of East Van. No purchase necessary. We want you to turn to us as a part of your lives. We want you to feel like your neighbourhood has places where you can simply be, whether you buy anything that day or not. No pressure, ever. Just remember that we depend on your purchases for our continued existence, and come to us when you do want a book (or anything else we offer).
Thanks, loves. See you soon?
--Nena
