Bookselling: 'There's an Enormous Amount Happening Behind the Scenes'
"A welcome surprise has been how naturally books create connection. We regularly see complete strangers begin talking while browsing the shelves, exchanging recommendations, or discovering they've both loved the same novel. It's not uncommon to see someone settle into a chair with a glass of wine and leave having made a new friend. We hoped Lit would feel like a gathering place, but watching that happen organically has been incredibly rewarding.
"On a practical level, we've also developed a whole new appreciation for the complexity of bookselling--from forecasting demand across thousands of titles to managing inventory and supplier relationships. As with all small businesses, there's an enormous amount happening behind the scenes."
--Karlee Bedford and Ashley Lindley, co-owners of Lit Wine & Books in Collingwood, Ont., Canada, in an interview for Quill & Quire's Shop Talk series
