Being a small business owner is certainly not for the faint of heart. With a combination of drive, vision and a little dash of luck, Ann Tetreault and her husband opened The Spiral Bookcase, a secondhand bookstore in Philadelphia. Moxy talked to Tetreault about what it takes to be an entrepreneur. Read on as she details her love of books, the importance of community for small business owners and what surprised her about running a bookstore.

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 Moxy Mag: What inspired you to open a used bookstore?

Tetreault: When I was young, I was an avid reader. My parents were both schoolteachers and they brought me to bookstores all the time. I grew up wandering around old secondhand bookstores all over New England. The unusual selections and mix of old and new, known and unknown, captured my attention. Raven Used Books in Northampton, MA and the Crow Bookshop in Burlington, VT became favorite destinations when visiting those towns. They really solidified a desire to own my own shop one day.

This dream percolated throughout my life until I was looking for a career change and my husband and I purchased a home in the Manayunk neighborhood of Philadelphia. We loved the charm and history of the neighborhood, and we thought Manayunk was the perfect setting for a secondhand bookstore. So, a childhood dream and the perfect location coalesced and inspired the opening of the shop.

MM: What was involved in the planning?

Tetreault: Looking back, it is remarkable that we opened a bookstore while my husband and I were both juggling full time jobs. My full time job at the Library of Congress took me to DC for most of the week. But after the initial discussions in January 2010, we were ready to move forward and make it a reality. We planned for months, reading up on small business practices, gathering a stock of books, chatting with other small business owners, talking with our attorney, establishing a LLC and business name, filing the paperwork, finding a wonderful space and then renovating and stocking shelves.

That is just a small glimpse of what happened before the doors opened in July 2010. Fortunately we received an abundance of support from family and friends, helping us along the way. It was a huge amount of work. It still is a huge amount of work. But the rewards are stupendous.

MM: Where did the name The Spiral Bookcase come from?

Tetreault: My husband came up with the name. As soon as he said it, I knew it was perfect. A spiral is easily recognized and deeply appreciated in math, science, art, nature and religion, seemingly contradictory subjects. However the connection is there, through the spiral. The Spiral Bookcase is a coming together of ideas and people, an extremely inclusive space, creating an environment of shared stories and shared experiences.

MM: How did you secure funding for the store? Were there hurdles to overcome and how did you cope?

Tetreault: As a small business owner, I think it is important to keep your overhead as low as possible. We invested our own time and money into the start-up of the shop. We did a lot of things ourselves, such as renovating the interior of the shop, to keep the costs down. Also, in order to help cover the initial start-up costs, I kept my full-time job at the Library of Congress.

Working seven days a week for four months was no picnic, but it did allow us to finance the shop in the beginning. I can say I was fairly burnt out after that marathon, but in the end it all worked out. The support from friends and family really helped me cope through the craziness, as well as the drive to make the business successful.

MM: How has your shop made out in this economy?

Tetreault: From what I have studied up on regarding start-up businesses, we have been successful in this first year. That being said, I continue to strive to get more books off the shelves, continue to develop a loyal clientele, create more and varied literary events and sell books on-line. I look forward to building the business year after year.

MM: What’s been the biggest surprise about running a bookstore?

Tetreault: I feel that although I spend much time and effort creating the ideal selection of books for the shop, I am always pleasantly surprised by how vocal patrons are on commending me for the selection and display. It means the world to hear such nice feedback, and I strive to continually satisfy the community’s needs for the books they want to see available, as well as share books they didn’t know they needed until they spot them on the shelf.

I am also pleasantly surprised to discover a wealth of talented writers in the area. We have had many successful readings and signings with local authors and we have a bundle more scheduled for the fall. (Philadelphia locals can find out about events on the store’s website, www.thespiralbookcase.com)

MM: What’s your favorite book that you sell in your store?

Tetreault: I feel very connected to pretty much all of my books. It is as if people shop my personal library–Although, I am more than happy to part with a book. I am smitten with our book design books, including typeface and paper specimen books. Fascinating and beautiful.

MM: What’s been the most challenging aspect?

Tetreault: It is very challenging to take a break. Although the shop is only open 5 days a week, this is a 24/7 occupation. During my off hours, I meet with patrons who are looking to part with their collections, read book reviews and read as much as I can, among other tasks. My husband is an invaluable asset to the shop, so we have many long nights discussing the shop—from brainstorming new events to determining new organizational methods. I really enjoy those discussions and I consider that as part of the fun of creating a dynamic bookstore. However, I find it difficult to tear myself away.

MM: Have there been any times in your life as a business owner that you wanted to throw in the towel? What motivated you to keep going?

Tetreault: Nope. This is the most satisfying career choice I ever made. I get such positive feedback from authors and patrons, that it propels me through the long hours and frenetic multitasking. Also, I like sharing with people that even the worst day as a small business owner is better than the best day at some of my prior jobs.

MM: What advice would you give prospective female small business owners?

Tetreault: Talk to other small business owners! We are all around. Starting my business, I met a handful of other young women who had just started or planned to start their own businesses—brick and mortar and online. Peicha from Falls Flowers, LLC in East Falls, Philadelphia was a huge help—pointing me in the right direction and sharing her own story of how she started her shop. It is integral to have these conversations, not just for savvy been-there, done-that advice, but to build a continual support system as you grow into your business.

MM:  Any comments on Borders closing or the general state of the publishing industry?

Tetreault: It is sad to see the closing of any bookstore. Bookstores celebrate a communal experience and the closing of a community bookstore is a loss.

I am curious about how publishers will respond. I hope to see more special editions, such as Penguin does, and perhaps more author events in the remaining bookstores and libraries. I also hope to see a rise of small press publishers, sharing new and engaging talent.

I am optimistic about the future. But, bookstores do need people to invest in them—to engage in the events they offer, purchase books, start book clubs in their neighborhood and spread the word to other book lovers about their own special independent stores around the country. The value of a book is more that the cost, it is experience and connection that book has brought to others and will bring to new and future readers. I see that every day when people share their own stories about that special book with me or a stranger (new friend?) in the shop, or when a young writer talks to a visiting author about the craft during a signing. I feel that those experiences are priceless and the only way for them to continue is to support the brick and mortars.

Article written by Danielle Bullen for Moxy Magazine, September 2011. Pictures courtesy of Ann Tetreault.