Booksellers?

[anguissette]

I've noticed for quite a few years now that TRF usually only has one dedicated bookstore, and it's selection is almost totally limited to religious nonfiction.    

Do y'all think this is just coincidence, or the lack of a market for anything else?

While I'm a secularist, I realize there are a number of pagans at Faire that probably find the one bookstore they have very fulfilling.  And yet ... surely there's a good population of fiction readers as well, or readers of nonfiction that isn't religious?  If you were at TRF, would you go into another book booth and check it out?  What type of material would you want to see there?  Realistically, do you think you might buy something, or is a bookstore just not unique enough to Faire not to wait until you get home to the local B&N or Borders?      

I really appreciate any input.  I am seriously considering trying to be a vendor in 2010 or 2011, but the capital required is pretty significant, so that's why I'm looking for opinions.  TIA!  

[Zardoz]

Since the Creative Life shop has the spiritual angles covered, I would think that someplace that carried the types of fiction stuff that rennies and faire patrons might like could do some business. I can think of some possibilities off the top of my head..

I'm talking primarily sword & sorcery / medieval romance / fantasy / goth - vampire / 'dark' fantasy / maybe a little Sci-Fi even,  and so-fouth. Writers like  T. H. White , Marion Zimmer Bradley,  Robert Howard, Terry Pratchett, Gabrielle Faust, Rie Sheridan Rose, etc..

There are a few small presses that do a lot of that sort of stuff, like Selena Rosen's Yard Dog Press,  Swimming Kangaroo or Mojocastle Press, to name a couple. The small press offerings would be more unique, not generally found in retail settings.

There would likely also be a market for similarly themed graphic novels, DVDs, fantasy role playing books, maybe even garb pattern books.

Properly exploited, with decent location and signage, I'd think a shop like that would do OK.

[meauho]

A faire might be a good place for a used (or even new) book store.  I sell used scifi/ fantasy books at scifi/ fantasy conventions and do ok (not great, just ok) - if I depended on the books to break even or make a profit, I would have quit a long time ago.  Sadly, there aren't that many people who actually read anymore.  I don't consider myself one, but I've been accused of being a bibliophile because I have several thousand books in my own collection. 

Even among my friends who do - abosorb? - books, most of them get them on CD or tape instead of actually reading them.  About the only thing I see kids reading (that isn't required, and then not even that) is manga and comic books.

[ravic]

I would love to carry more fiction. However, except for a few titles, it tends to languish on the shelves. So I tend not to order it. Not sure but I'm guessing it's the audience mix. If you can convince Shelly to let you jury in that type of product, go for it. I'll happily send people your way & probably spend many of my faire $$$ there. I already do that for Greenman Games & the Magic Cauldron. All I would ask is that you try to get a booth far enough away that we are not stepping on each other.

If you need any info, PM me

Ravic
Creative Life Booksellers

[LadyElizabeth]

So I'm a huge huge book reader, but I would never go to a book store at TRF.  I shop for the things I can't get anywhere else and there's tons of those at TRF!!!  Sorry, just my two cents.

[Edge]

I don't know if it would be enough of an idea to start its own shop but, has anyone ever considered the idea of antique books.  Granted it was all kept vaguely related to period their wouldn't likely be enough to support a shop alone but, it is a niche market that fits in with several people's ren-hobbies.

[ravic]

So I'm a huge huge book reader, but I would never go to a book store at TRF.  I shop for the things I can't get anywhere else and there's tons of those at TRF!!!  Sorry, just my two cents.

Normally, I would agree but we carry books that are difficult to find all in one place in the outside world. You can get them but you have go to several different stores or online for them. I have customers that have told me that for them the faire is secondary to my store. (Liked to had a seizure on that one but the "customer is always right" even if I don't agree with them.)

BTW, it was nice to see you & your sister at the Visions in Wood.