"While we waited for all the inventory to be delivered, we started scheduling events," said Missy Couhig, co-owner of Conundrum Books, a 1,000-square-foot new bookstore that specializes in books and puzzles in St. Francisville, La. Couhig and her husband, Rob, decided to do a soft opening almost two weeks ago, even though they'd only begun putting together the store's inventory. They've already hosted a few book signings and started both a story time series and book club.
"It's been amazing," continued Missy Couhig. "We've had a crowd at everything we've done. The community has been so incredibly supportive and anxious to have us here."
To build starting inventory, Couhig and her husband have been asking customers and community members about their favorite books and authors and using those answers as a starting point. The idea, explained Couhig, is to build a bookstore around the people of St. Francisville rather than be a one-size-fits-all sort of store. Added Couhig: "We're moving slowly, but that doesn't bother me at all."
The emphasis on puzzles, meanwhile, comes from the Couhigs's own personal interest: The couple collects puzzles on their travels. Conundrum's selection is not just limited to jigsaw puzzles. "We have jigsaws, mindbender puzzles, wooden puzzles. Any definition of puzzles that we like," Couhig said.
Though Couhig and her husband have no previous experience in bookselling--Rob Couhig is an attorney and Missy Couhig has spent her career in sales--they've talked about opening a bookstore in St. Francesville together for a long time. St. Francesville is a small, historic town of some 1,700 people on a bluff along the Mississippi River. Dating back to the early 1800s, the town is about 30 miles from Baton Rouge, the state capital, and around 100 miles from New Orleans. Couhig and her husband split their time between New Orleans and St. Francisville, though they've been spending more time in the latter since signing a lease on their storefront. And that lease, according to Couhig, came rather unexpectedly, when her husband announced that he signed a lease after returning home one day.
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| Storytime with author Steve Spires. | |
"I didn't expect to do it quite so soon," recalled Couhig. "That moved forward the agenda quite a bit."
The Couhigs' larger goal with Conundrum Books is to become a hub for the St. Francisville community, and they plan to do that by being an event-driven store. The store has ample space for signings along with reading areas and sofas for shoppers to hang out in, and Couhig will bring in local artists to exhibit their work in store on a rotating basis. "We want people to feel comfortable," said Couhig. "We want it to be a place where they can hang out and bring their kids."
Initially, Couhig and her husband planned to sell only new books, but demand for used books lead them to include a small used book section. As for sidelines, Couhig plans to carry note cards and note pads, in addition to puzzles. And further down the road, Couhig would like to offer T-shirts and bookbags.
Couhig expects to be more or less fully stocked by December 4 and have the store's grand opening coincide with the town's annual "Christmas in the Country" celebration, scheduled for the same weekend. The festivities include a Christmas parade, caroling, arts and crafts, food, and sales at downtown shops.
In the new year and beyond, Couhig plans to continue to let the store grow incrementally, guided by community feedback. She added: "We're going to let the place grow up around us." --Alex Mutter