The Story.
Neil Gaiman says in his book American Gods: “…a town isn’t a town without a bookstore. It may call itself a town, but unless it’s got a bookstore, it knows it’s not foolin’ a soul.” This is absolutely true – bookstores offer joy and knowledge, nurture imaginations and creativity, and bring people and ideas together. They build community.
And there was a good chance that Vallejo was going to lose its only one.
But when the owner of the Vallejo Bookstore contacted me and told me she wanted to sell and asked if I would be interested in buying it, my first reaction was, “Yes!” Ever since I was a teenager it has been my dream to own my own bookstore, especially after working in the book business for nearly 30 years, first as a bookseller, and for the past 15 years in sales for Lonely Planet and Chronicle Books. But because of that experience, I did think long and hard about it. I’ve watched the book industry change, from independents to chain stores to superstores to internet to the “death of the book” to “books are making a comeback” to everything in between. But one thing has stayed consistent: me. I love books, I love reading, I love talking about books, I love recommending books, I love selling books, I love independent bookstores. Even after all that thinking and weighing it all out, I still said, “Yes!” This is what I’ve always wanted to do, and what I believe in.
I also believe in Vallejo, California, which is about 30 miles north of San Francisco and the 10th most populated city in The Bay Area. It declared bankruptcy in 2008, but has been on the upswing and continues to see positive changes. Buying the bookstore is an opportunity to keep a business downtown. And like Neil Gaiman said, a town isn’t a town without a bookstore, and I don’t want Vallejo to lose ours; I want Vallejo to continue to have a bookstore to serve our community as a thriving business with events, readings, story times for kids, and, of course, books! Mostly I want it to be a place for people to meet, to share, and be welcoming for all. I think Alibi Bookshop will be a terrific asset for Vallejo, especially downtown, and I think I am the right person to do this and make a positive impact for our city.
What We Need
My goal to get going is $30,000, which sounds like a lot (and it is!) but it is actually quite conservative. There are many things to consider and it will be used for the following: start-up costs (business license, DBA, resale certificate paperwork processing; LLC and ABA membership fees; insurance; utilities; deposits) POS upgrade, signage, fixtures (bookshelves; tables; display items; furniture; office desk), marketing (materials and online), floor and window repair, supplies, and most of all, inventory and merchandise. Though it will continue to be primarily used books, I do want to bring in popular new titles, requested favorites, gifts and sidelines, and need to establish credit with distributors and publishers.
Since I’ve been in the book business for all these years, I’m not exactly wealthy so I need financial assistance. Believe me, it’s not easy for me to do this, but I am such a strong believer in independent bookstores, my town, and fellow readers, that I’m swallowing my pride and asking for your help. It’s going to be a lot of work and will take a village, but I know the end result is going to be rewarding for all of us. And the perks will be especially rewarding for you -- check them out! Click on the sidebar to the right to see what each of them include.
Risks, Challenges, and Impact
I know in this day and age of Amazon and big box stores, buying a small business – especially a brick and mortar bookstore – is risky. But print book sales are up and independent bookstores have been thriving for the past few years – there are now over 2300 in the US. (Take a look at all these articles: https://www.bookweb.org/for-the-record …and look what’s anchoring downtowns! https://commonwealthmagazine.org/economy/guess-whats-anchoring-many-small-downtowns/) And as someone who has been working in publishing for the past 16 years, I have seen firsthand the power, enthusiasm, and success of these independent bookstores and their dedicated owners and staff, and I’m thrilled to be joining their ranks. Also, the Shop Local movement is gaining more and more momentum -- people are starting to understand that the money that is spent in local stores gives back to the community. Shopping online isn’t going to help your town as much as shopping in your local businesses does. And we give people what online retailers can’t: real human connection, thoughtful recommendations instead of algorithms, and experience. They may discount deeply, but what we offer is priceless.
Downtown Vallejo is another risk, but I think it won’t be for long. As of now, there are empty storefronts, and not a lot of regular foot traffic. However, there is The Vallejo Artwalk on the 2nd Friday evening of the month, and every Saturday there is a popular and fantastic farmer’s market, and more businesses are starting to move in. The beautiful Empress Theater is around the corner, as is Provisions, one of the most delicious restaurants in The Bay Area. Across the street is Spruce, what started as a pop-up shop on the holidays, and has been so successful that they signed a lease! I also want to open on Sundays so that the store is a destination for events and shopping. I feel that by keeping the bookstore in business will help inspire more businesses to continue moving in, too, and it will continue to help our economy. Vallejo residents have a fierce pride in their city, and want downtown to thrive. By keeping the bookstore open, we can do just that.
So it may be risky to buy a small bookstore, but I know what I will be giving back to Vallejo and the Bay Area will mitigate those risks and be a success. We’re definitely in for a lot of hard work. (No sitting around reading with a cat on my lap!) I will be keeping my job and working at the store on weekends, and finding staff for the rest of the week. My husband (who is in 1000%!) will be helping out, too, and doing the accounting. There’s a lot of set-up and buying and planning and marketing and brainstorming and hosting and selling to do, and I CANNOT WAIT. The amount of support I’ve received since announcing my plan has been overwhelmingly positive, and I know I’m doing the right thing to make this happen – right by Vallejo and its people, and right in making my bookstore dream come true. As my friend of 30 years said when I told her, “You were born to do this.” I was!
About Us... And the Store
I’ve lived in The Bay Area for nearly my whole life, and moved to Vallejo a few years ago. My first job was in a bookstore; my last job will be, too. Since that first job I’ve also worked in Publishing (and at a vintage clothing store, where I learned a lot about small business), and have an MFA in Creative Writing. I have more books than I will ever read, and like it that way. I’ve been married to my husband, Jon, for 6 years (together for 15) – he’s an accountant who loves records as much as I love books. I have two lovely stepchildren of whom I am so proud, and two tiny dogs named Dorothy Parker and Dino Martina who have more Instagram followers than I do.
The Vallejo Bookstore was originally started in 2014 by Dave Tilton and Dariece Warren who purchased it from Rar Farmer, and then sold it to Shannon Moore-Hartlep in 2017. Shannon has done an amazing job – she moved it to the space it’s in now, and has built a regular base of customers who will miss her so much. But Shannon is moving on to pursue her dreams, and giving me the chance to fulfill mine.
Shannon and I agreed that changing the name was a good idea and symbolic for a new start. I struggled coming up with something – what could be better than “Vallejo Bookstore”? – but a friend pointed me to this article: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-alibi-c... and I knew that was it. The Alibi Clock, which I love, is just around the corner from the store on Georgia Street. It has a fascinating history, and is a nod to Vallejo. It’s perfect!
Other Ways You Can Help
If you can’t donate financially, I understand! But if you have any books that no longer spark joy for you (but will for someone else) and are in resalable condition – no broken spines, discarded library books, writing, rips, or tears – I will happily take them. Eventually I hope to start a Buy/Sell/Trade program, but have to get going first.
Other ways to help – please share this far and wide! Tell your friends! Follow Alibi Bookshop on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/alibibookshop and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/alibibookshop/ and most of all, come in and shop – often! And if you need a book, contact us and we can order it for you.
Thank you so much for all your support. I truly appreciate it. Looking forward to seeing you at Alibi Bookshop!
