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