Opening a used bookstore: Stef hits 4,000+ books but enters the messy middle—slow progress, tedious work, and a feeling of inefficiency. She gets help with graphic design, encounters her first bust of an estate sale, and answers listener questions about the real obstacles to opening a store.

In this two-part episode, I'm deep in what I'm calling the messy middle. The book count is climbing but the pace feels slow, tedious, inefficient. I'm taking it one book at a time because that's all I can do right now. The doldrums are real.

I'm working on graphic design for the store, trying to capture that local bookstore vibe that feels authentic to Mill Valley. I also drove to Alameda for an estate sale that turned out to be a total bust—sometimes you win, sometimes you waste gas.

Part 2 dives into FAQs I've been getting about opening the store. The biggest question: what are the obstacles? I break it down simply:

1. Money — tight
2. People power — also tight

When both are constrained, the exchange is time. This won't happen quickly, but it will happen. Right now, timing actually matters—I kind of don't want the rental space yet. There's too much to do and not enough of me. I'm training my kids to help, and I share some of the unspoken rules for children of business owners who work in the family business (spoiler: it's different than being a regular employee).

I also talk more about tariffs and how they're going to push more people into the resale business. The circular economy is about to get crowded, and I'm hoping I have enough of a head start to stay competitive.

Current Book Count: 4,000+

This is the part of the story where it's not glamorous. It's just work. 🐦‍🔥

🐦‍🔥 Follow along as The Phoenix Used Bookshop continues to rise—subscribe to A Bookshop of My Own and get updates at phoenixusedbookshop.com

Opening a used bookstore: Stef locks in a crucial book source with rock-bottom 'cost of goods', navigates a home drowning in 3,000+ books, discusses tariff-proofing through reuse, and considers making her bookstore cat-friendly.

In this episode, the final piece clicks into place. I've secured an important intake option for books that gives me an extremely low cost of goods—this is the kind of source that makes a used bookstore financially viable.

Meanwhile, my house is officially overrun. We're talking 3,000+ books and counting. Stacks everywhere. My cats are thriving—they love the new jungle gym situation. It's chaos, but it's purposeful chaos.

I also talk about something that's been on my mind: tariffs. In a climate where import costs are unpredictable and supply chains are vulnerable, reuse businesses have a massive advantage. We're tariff-proof. Every book I sell has already been in circulation—no overseas shipping, no customs fees, no waiting on containers. It's local, circular, and resilient.

And speaking of cats—mine are so happy with the book stacks that I'm genuinely considering making The Phoenix a bookshop-cat kind of place. We'll see. But the idea is growing on me.

Current Book Count: 3,000+

The foundation is solid. The pieces are coming together. 🐦‍🔥

🐦‍🔥 Follow along as The Phoenix Used Bookshop continues to rise—subscribe to A Bookshop of My Own and get updates at phoenixusedbookshop.com

Opening a used bookstore: Stef completes business registration, develops SKU and pricing systems, redoes her P&L, and explains why growing up in small business gives her confidence—plus a magical evening with Kate DiCamillo and Ann Patchett.

In this episode, it's paperwork time. EIN, Seller's Permit, city registration—all done and I'm thrilled to actually have my ducks in a row this time.

But the work didn't stop there. I realized I couldn't keep inventorying books without SKUs, which meant I needed a SKU algorithm, which meant I needed a pricing strategy, which meant redoing my entire P&L. The truth? The numbers work, but I have to sell a lot of books. My number one priority is finding affordable rent—everything else is flexible.

I also share why I feel confident opening a bookstore despite never running one. The answer: I grew up in small business. My family owned five childcare centers—a brutally low-margin business with government ratios, healthy snack requirements, and yes, cat poop in sandboxes. I was the cheap labor who learned to find space in tight margins. Between that and my peek into bookstore finances from the failed acquisition, I'm ready for Year 1 mistakes and all.

I picked up How to Start and Run a Used Bookstore by Stephanie Chandler for the operational shortcuts, and had an incredible night at the Charles M. Schulz Museum with Kate DiCamillo and Ann Patchett. They signed books for the store, and I got a photo with Ann Patchett that's going up in the shop.

Current Book Count: 2,000+ (inventory paused until systems are finalized)

🐦‍🔥 Follow along as The Phoenix Used Bookshop continues to rise—subscribe to A Bookshop of My Own and get updates at phoenixusedbookshop.com

Links mentioned:

• How to Start and Run a Used Bookstore by Stephanie Chandler
• Kate DiCamillo | Ann Patchett
• Charles M. Schulz Museum