Today we’d like to introduce you to Linda Crowder.
Hi Linda, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I am an avid reader but when I moved to Russell, there was no bookstore within a 60 mile radius. I had no experience in retail but I decided to open a tiny bookstore, more for myself than as a business proposition. I started in 200 square feet in December 2019 – one of the historically worst times to be in retail – but my community was very supportive. Today, we are in a historic building on Main Street with more than 3,000 square feet. We have fantasy role-playing in the basement and an Artisan Attic on the third floor which showcases the work of local artists and crafters.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
We opened two months before COVID shut everything down. Fortunately, we were deemed essential because of our educational materials so we were able to limp through. Because I had no retail experience, I read everything I could find about how to run a bookstore and every single book and article, when discussing rural locations advised “just don’t.” I’m glad I didn’t pay any attention to them!
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Russell Specialty Books and Gifts?
We are a general interest independent bookstore in the heart of Kansas, just off of I-70, halfway between Kansas City and Denver. We have a passion for books and reading and we like nothing better than chatting with people about the books and authors they love. We have a large selection of children’s books, general fiction and regional history and we have an entire floor of used books with comfortable chairs to sit and read awhile. We strive to be a happy, comfortable place where book lovers of all ages will feel at home.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
People have been predicting the demise of the bookstore – and of printed books in general – for years but there is nothing that feeds the soul like walking into an indie bookstore. No algorithm can tell you how much they loved (or didn’t) a book or get excited to hear what you thought of a book the bookseller may not have had time to read yet. There is a personal touch to bookselling that customers in this digital world are craving and that will never be displaced by AI.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://russellbookstore.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/russellbookstore/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RussellBookstore#
