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Schuler Books goes downtown


Rizzo

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This might not be something you would want to answer on a public forum, but I'll ask anyway: What's your business plan? How were sales at Riverbank Books compared to a typical Schuler's location? Will your larger buying power make this location profitable?

Maybe you can answer this one: Is there any room to expand the store? Perhaps a two-floor store would provide the same pamount of space as your suburban locations.

And I'll agree that the cafes in your stores are quite good. :)

I love this forum. It's great to be able to talk to people in town you would have never expected to meet. Thanks for posting, Bill!

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Thanks for your post Bill. We look forward to visiting your downtown store when we come to town.

It seems that good signage would be very important on the Monroe Center side of the building. Would it be out of the question to add large signs to on both ends of that canopy, similar to what Steketee's had previously? Also, seems like it would be nice to have signage way up high near where the BCBS symbols are on the west wall of the building. Maybe a painted sign like Steketee's had. You can see that all the way down MC. I think there may have been a large painted sign up high on the east side of the building at one time too.

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Can there be signage on the Monroe Center side? I think River Bank just had a mobile sign that they unfolded on the sidewalk.

Riverbank Books also had a hanging sign under the Blue Cross canopy that stretches out over the sidewalk.

Welcome Bill!

I think more signage on the Fountain side might be to your advantage as well, maybe even a marquee type sign like the Civic Theatre's new sign might be needed. A lot of auto traffic enters the Monroe Center area via Ottawa, and if people saw a big sign just around the corner up Fountain, they may seek out the store after they found a place to park.

Also, did Riverbank Books foster any book clubs? Maybe provide a small space somewhere in the store for book clubs to meet (?). I don't know if that's something Schuler even does at the other locations.

Are you going to host live music events? Author visits?

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This will be such a great addition. One my complaints about the previous bookstore was their inventory was so low. The shelves were essentially bare and the depth of each topic was not deep. I really hope you can bring the depth we expect at Schulers to this location.

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It would be great if you added a QUALITY Architecture section. The various Schuler's I've been to have an adequate collection, but a lot of picture books without much substance... This is the trend at all 'franchise' book stores, but it would be great to have a book store downtown that offered a quality collection of books.

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If there is anyway to link the Monroe Center side thru the lobby that would be great. The news stand is a good start, but would you be allowed to rent lobby space to put your entire periodical section there? The lobby is somewhat stark and when you walked into that space it wasn't very inviting. If your periodical section flowed directly into the current space the contiunuity would drag people in. Having the book store be contiguous from the Monroes Center side seems to be of vital importance (however that could be accomplished) rather than haaving a huge buffer between foot traffic and the store. In addition if passers-by could look into the lobby and see customers shopping their curiosity and awareness would be heightened. As it stands now you look into the lobby and it feels cold and corporate (not warm and enticing as a book store should be). Just my opinion. Good Luck and I'll see you there in October.

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Hi Bill, great to know local business owners are peeking in on this forum. Thanks for your post.

I'm sure you already have a plan for the bookstore and with your success I'm sure it's a good one. One suggestion I might add though (similar to jbr12's sugg) is to have a great selection of books catering to the types of businesses downtown rather than an extensive paperback selection. It seems at the moment that most business will come from local businesses and from the city dwellers who typically work downtown. Some of the sections I'm referring to: General Business, Finance, Marketing, Architecture, Advertising/Design, Web Programming/Design, Furniture, and Photography. As a Kendall grad I can say that a good advertising/graphics, web, and furniture selection will be a big draw for local students in addition to the many design companies downtown. Of course all the latest fiction will be great to have as well!

My two cents. I'm sure you're rich with suggestions at the moment. blush.gif

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I have a very specific complaint with regards to the previous tenant.

More than once I would be downtown for an event (e.g. Tom Otterness). Now, if you walked into Riverbanks and said "I'm here in Grand Rapids to browse the Tom Otterness sculptures, do you have any books on the scultor?" more often than not the answer was "huh? there's a sculpture event going on?"

That's an example, not an actual event...but it happened with at least one art exhibit at GRAM, and a concert at Van Andel.

My advice: You're going to get some customers who are downtown for specific events. If there's a big event in town at least let your staff know about it so they can field questions if (hopefully "when") people stop in for books.

I have confidence that'll be handled because on the two occasions I can recall this problem at Riverbank, I drove out to the 28th St. Schuler's and bought the stuff I was looking for there.

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How hard is it to respond in kind with, "Oh, how was it?" All the while she could be running a search in the database and politely interrupt with book material. If at least she/he doesn't get what you just came from she/he can at least be a bookseller and give a reading list.

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Hi, this is Bill Fehsenfeld. My wife, Cecile and I own Schuler Books. Thanks for all the enthusiasm and support! We're really looking forward to giving this a try....

This is why I spend (way too much) time on this forum. Here we are, a bunch of city-lovin' tech geeks talking to each other...and making a positive difference in our community. And in just a few days we've gotten a great vibe and feedback from the new management.

Welcome, Bill. We don't bite. Feel free to browse and check out the ideas. (Say hi to Judy DY

[wished folks would just stop it about the gift cards, but then I didn't buy any]

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Hi, this is Bill Fehsenfeld. My wife, Cecile and I own Schuler Books. Thanks for all the enthusiasm and support! We're really looking forward to giving this a try.

Welcome Bill to UP! I just moved here a few months ago and I love bookstores. I was afraid I wouldn't find a great bookstore like I had back home but I LOVE your bookstore. While I was unemployed in June and in town, I was there at least twice a week.

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Say I was interested at working at the new downtown location (I've been wanting to work for a bookstore for a while now, and downtown is an excellent location.) Should I go to one of the other stores, fill out an application there, and mention somewhere on the application that I have interest in the downtown location?

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This is Bill Fehsenfeld again.

In response to some of the comments...

From what we can tell, the former store did a fraction of the sales that one of our other stores does. This will be a challenge in being downtown. To be financially viable, the inventory will need to be in line with the potential sales - we need too see what the market will bear. Obviously it won't be the extensive inventory we have on 28th St. or Alpine. I think the quality of the inventory can definately be improved, however, especially in the non-fiction sections. I appreciate your input on what you think might be of interest. We will be taking an experimental approach - trying things to see what works.

Sales would have to be much, much greater than the former store to justify even thinking about expanded space as well. We need to think about growing into the existing space for now. I'm hoping people's expectations will be in line with the kind of store downtown can support right now. Certainly, we have the other stores to draw on if need be.

We will be doing everything we can to have good signage on both sides. There are ordinances which limit the size and number of signs. Clearly the illuminated sign under the MC canopy was not very noticable. We'll be looking into whether we can get signage onm the ends of the canopy.

We have a program for people to register bookclubs at our stores, and then the selections are offered at 20% off. These titles will be available downtown. I hope some bookclubs will choose to meet in the cafe. We will look into organizing a sponsered bookclub - but probably not right away.

dbrok - did you know we sell used books at both our stores?

We will definately have music and author events. One of our first events will be the book "Thin Ice" which features the writings of many GR connected authors - published by Eerdmans.

We will definately be keeping an eye on local events - this has already been discussed in our planning meetings.

The lobby - what can I say. We are kind of stuck with it. We are planning on putting some books on sale in the lobby - maybe we can have a small rack of newspapers and magazines as well. I hesitate to have those out on the sidewalk because we would then have to put someone out there to staff it.

tSlater - you can definately apply for a position downtown at either of our other stores. We do have a number of booksellers interested in moving down there, so positions will be opening at the other stores as well.

All for now, thanks.

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This is Bill Fehsenfeld again.

In response to some of the comments...

All for now, thanks.

Thanks again for the response Bill. As one of the moderators of this forum, I'd just like to say we are honored to have you join our little corner of cyberspace and answer questions for us. This group is psyched about downtown, especially retail, and we'll do our best to help make your new venture downtown a success. :thumbsup: I personally can't wait until it opens.

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Thanks again for the response Bill. As one of the moderators of this forum, I'd just like to say we are honored to have you join our little corner of cyberspace and answer questions for us. This group is psyched about downtown, especially retail, and we'll do our best to help make your new venture downtown a success. :thumbsup: I personally can't wait until it opens.

I would love to be able to walk to a Schulers book store or anything like that.

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Welcome!

Im glad to see used books at the Alpine site, I've not been there for a while and it wasn't any used books there last time. I certainly hope to see this at the DT location as well.

tslater, study up; the schuler's book test is a toughy!

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Welcome!

Im glad to see used books at the Alpine site, I've not been there for a while and it wasn't any used books there last time. I certainly hope to see this at the DT location as well.

tslater, study up; the schuler's book test is a toughy!

I took the Schuler's book test. It was tough. I got all the classical musicians though; I've been a classically trained musician since I was 5, that's over 20 years ago but I don't listen to the stuff. That being said, it was a fun test! I enjoyed it. I'd take it again just for the fun of it.

I am looking forward to Schuler's opening. When exactly does it open? I could live in a bookstore or library. I do wish Schuler had a bigger history section at least at the location I went to which honestly I can't remember which one I was last at. I go to both the one on 28th and the one on Alpine. But my issue with history books is some of them are so dry, I hope to someday remedy that by writing an interesting history book, not textbook and not historical fiction. Anyway, that's off topic. I'm just so excited about the Schuler's downtown! More convenient for me!

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Not only is Bill a great guy - he's a sailor! "Terra Firma" and I can attest to his abilities on the water... He indeed is to be valued for his many contributions to our community.

(looking forward to the day when Bill can justify putting a store up here in Rockford...)

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As long as you have your coffee and cafe, I'll be there 2-3 evenings a week. Makes me sound old and boring but I probably spend 2 hours several nights a week at the 28th st store. I'd MUCH rather go downtown. I stop in for coffee, food, internet, relaxation and usually end up buying the book I was just going to flip through.

My wife eats lunch at the Alpine store several times a week and often uses the cafe to meet for work.

Very excited for the downtown store. Hopefully you'll have late evening hours?

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