On the Road Again... The Return of Bookmobiles

Part of the reason for the well-documented resurgence in independent bookstores has been their ability to adapt to the needs of their communities in ways that larger or online companies cannot. Booksellers are flexible, creative, and responsive, but they’re also adventurous, brave, and perceptive. We’re currently seeing these traits in action in the proliferation of alternative business models; in particular, the resurgence of independently owned and operated bookmobiles. 

Independently Owned Bookmobiles in the US

Babycake's Book Stack, St. Paul MN*
Bibliobar, Dallas TX*
Chapters Bookmobile, Seward NE
House of Speakeasy, New York NY
Itinerant Literate, Charleston SC
Mavis the Magical Bookmobile (The Book Bar), Denver CO
Parnassus Bookmobile, Nashville TN
​River Dog Book Co., Beaver Dam WI*
The Story House, Montgomery MD
Twenty Stories, Providence, RI

*will be in operation soon

​Bookmobiles, long the purview of public libraries, have seen success across a variety of markets. They have proven to be both a good way for existing stores to expand their market penetration as well as a low-cost way for beginning booksellers to develop their brand and customer base prior to opening a physical bookstore. This trend has not gone unnoticed within the business community, with articles from Forbes, The Chicago Tribune, The New York Times, Washington Post, and Huffington Post devoting resources to the topic.

​The Independent Bookseller™ spoke with a number of booksellers involved with a bookmobile about why the model appeals to them and what unique challenges it poses, and also sprinkled in some key quotes from the above-linked articles.

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​What drew you to the idea of opening a bookmobile?

The reasons for starting a bookmobile vary widely, as expected, based on location and any current business model. For existing brick-and-mortar stores, it affords booksellers a way to reach new customers and more easily conduct offsite sales. For prospective booksellers, it reduces the barrier to entry and allows booksellers a way to build a brand and customer base prior to committing to the long-term costs of a brick-and-mortar space.

Carla Ketner, Paige the Bookmobile (Chapters Bookstore) in Seward NE:
I wanted a more convenient and appealing way to host book fairs in schools. The bookmobile is an appealing novelty, and it makes book fairs easier and more profitable both for us and for the schools. I also think other opportunities for the bookmobile will come along as people learn that we have it—maybe events in conjunction with other local businesses or at nursing homes. I’m open to the possibilities. Plus, everyone of a certain generation has such fond memories of visits to bookmobiles when they were kids, that I think it will be a generator of positive attention wherever we take it.

Chelsea Green, Bibliobus (Bibliobar), Dallas TX:
Opening a physical bookstore is a huge financial commitment, especially in an area that has never really had an independent bookstore. We started doing pop-ups and then decided to make the move to a mobile bookstore. That way we could get to know the community better and find the areas that really respond to having a bookstore. 

Zsamé Morgan, Babycake's Book Stack, St. Paul MN: 
​Even with good credit and a solid business plan, funding a startup bookstore/buildout with a bank loan was nearly impossible. A mentor suggested to try the mobile route similar to the food trucksthat a lot of restaurants start with, and after doing research, I decided this would give me financial freedom to run my business on my own terms, location flexibility, and room to learn without potentially crashing my business. My logo was already 'AROUND THE WORLD IN A BOOK' so it just fit perfectly to move the business model to a bookmobile.

Christen Thompson Lain, Itinerant Literate, Charleston SC:
"Neither of us had any retail experience or money, so we decided to test the idea in the way that a lot of food trucks had been starting out. That was our logic." (from bookweb.org)

Karen Hayes, Parnassus Bookmobile, Nashville TN:
“A bookmobile made so much sense, because food trucks work so well in this town. It’s a great way to get our name out there, too. It’s a rolling advertisement.” (from the New York Times)

BrocheAroe Fabian, River Dog Book Co. in Beaver Dam WI:
​I always wanted to bring the books TO the people, disrupting that prescribed interaction of "Come to this ONE place, get a book, leave" that can occur if you have only one permanent location. That said, I had always planned to open a brick-and-mortar and have a bookmobile be a part of it, but I've never been able to secure funding for the complete picture. Then one day, my partner turned to me and said, "Why don't you just do the bookmobile portion of it to start with?" and it felt like everything clicked into place.

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Are there particular aspects of your community that you feel make it receptive to a bookmobile?

Taking a cue from the food truck movement, booksellers see the potential in bringing limited selections of  books to where customers already are. Many book desert communities have populations that are too spread out to accommodate the costs of a brick-and-mortar store, but this doesn't mean they aren't viable consumer bases.

Babycakes Book Stack, St. Paul MN

Zsamé Morgan, Babycake’s Book Stack, St. Paul MN:  
The Twin Cities overall is very receptive to mobile retail, as evidenced by the boom in food trucks. I specifically have a lot of feedback from community organizations such as schools, parks, music festivals, art festivals, farmer's markets, coffee shops, and the children's hospital that are eager to partner with and host the bookmobile. Also, the Twin Cities is very diverse and has a large underserved population who speak a variety of languages, and perhaps a different amount of disposable income than the typical bookstore customer. I can go to those consumers.

Christen Thompson Lain, Itinerant Literate, Charleston SC:
“Charleston has a pretty healthy, cool market scene with night markets and artisans and people selling vintage clothes, and there are already a few mobile retailers in Charleston. We like to partner directly with businesses so we don’t have to worry about getting parking permits and we can be somewhere with lots of foot traffic and parking — so we are not limiting our flow of customers.We’ve really never been turned down wherever we have asked to park because we have something to offer these businesses,” added Thompson. “People have consistently had higher sales when we have parked there, so now we are at a point where people are coming to us and asking us to come their location.” (from bookweb.org)

BrocheAroe Fabian, River Dog Book Co., Beaver Dam WI:
Beaver Dam put out a call for a bookstore to come back to their community, so I know they want more book culture here. And while Beaver Dam isn't tiny - roughly 17,000 people - a bookmobile seemed like a good idea for being able to engage with the towns and communities north and south of there as well.

Carla Ketner, Paige the Bookmobile (Chapters Bookstore), Seward NE:
We already have contacts and relationships with a lot of schools, churches, and daycares in the area and have done bookfairs with many of them. Before I bought the bookmobile, I asked many of them what they thought of the idea, and they were enthusiastic. We’re in a small town, in a rural area, and with our bookmobile, we can bring books to people who might not be able to or choose to come to our store.

Chelsea Green, Bibliobus (Bibliobar), Dallas TX:
The fact that there are no indie bookstores! We have a few Barnes & Noble (including the one I opened in high school) but the closest indie is a 45-minute drive. There are several private book clubs in the area and nowhere for them to meet. 

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What are the biggest challenges you’ve come across so far with regard to operating your bookmobile

​Bookmobile operators contend with a different suite of challenges than brick-and-mortar stores, most of them vehicle related. Some models require a new drivers license or securing a driver, specialized mechanics, and other precautions that unwheeled structures don't have to contend with.

The Itinerant Literate, Charleston SC

Christen Thompson Lain & Julia Turner, Itinerant Literate, Charleston SC: 
On several occasions people have invited us to their space/event, but they didn’t account for the truck we use to pull the trailer. So, anytime you are talking with a host location, make sure to mention the full amount of space you need to maneuver and park the unit, not just the length of the unit itself. 

​If it’s raining, we see limited sales. While this is not unique to mobile models, it can be more detrimental for us because of the threat to stock. In December we opted to do a pop-up shop inside of the brewery we were supposed to be at during a torrential downpour, and it went decently. Books are more likely to get damaged in transport/from leaks/other unexpected reasons.

Grace Wright, Parnassus Bookmobile, Nashville TN:
“We worked with a company that works on semi-trucks and they sent a mechanic down with us to look at the bookmobile to make sure it was mechanically sound. If anyone has owned old or used cars, when you invest in that, you really are investing in the extra cost for mechanical issues. There is nothing worse than having to call someone who was really excited and have to say, ‘Hey, I literally can’t get my bus there.’” (from bookweb.org)

Carla Ketner, Paige the Bookmobile (Chapters Bookstore), Seward NE:
Just driving it is a challenge. I’m not used to driving such a big vehicle, and I’m going to have to get over being afraid of it. Fortunately, I don’t need a CDL to drive it, which is one hurdle we didn’t have to overcome.

The repairs and maintenance ended up costing more than I budgeted and taking longer, but that wasn’t a huge surprise.
 
After trying several systems for keeping track of inventory and items sold at each book fair we host, I’ve developed a system that seems to be workable. Keeping accurate records is still going to be one of our biggest challenges, especially when we’re doing multi-day events at schools where volunteers are staffing the bookmobile. Other challenges we’ve run into are scheduling, since Paige can only be at one place at a time, and I can’t be with Paige and covering the store at the same time; and weather-related issues. Sales were down at one school because it rained every day of their book fair.

Zsamé Morgan, Babycake’s Book Stack, St. Paul MN:  
Finding a bookmobile and placing the winning bid (I was outbid on a previous bookmobile), raising capital for the purchase of the bookmobile, raising capital for the p.o.s. and inventory, and just feeling confident enough to launch. Since I am pretty much paying for everything out of pocket, it has been slow going. Also, finding affordable, safe parking has been a challenge in an urban environment. (And I still need to learn how to drive it so when I don't have a driver available I can keep moving.)

Chelsea Green, Bibliobus (Bibliobar), Dallas TX:
Learning how to drive it. It is a big 40-foot bus and we have never driven something like that. We are lucky to have a family friend with a CDL license who has offered to drive it and help to teach us how to drive it in the long run. We are also converting the bus to include a cafe as well, and getting the approvals from the city and all of the construction is a challenge all its own.

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What has surprised you about the experience so far?

Tempering expectations is important with any startup, and knowing what pitfalls await can help new entrants into an industry avoid them. Starting a business is a long process, but the bookselling industry is as supportive as any out there.

Alexa Trembly, Twenty Stories, Los Angeles CA:
"We’ve had customers leave the van and tell us they wouldn’t have read certain books had it not been for our small curated selection. The community that has built up around the van in the four short months we’ve been open has already blown us away.” (from Forbes.com)

Chelsea Green, Bibliobus (Bibliobar), Dallas TX:
How excited people are. People talk about the bookmobiles or library buses that used to come see them when they were a child, and they feel nostalgia for their youth and the love of reading they had as a child.

BrocheAroe Fabian, River Dog Book Co., Beaver Dam WI: 
How many other people are doing it right now. The book industry seems ripe for another revolution, and I think the disruption of that traditional bookstore business model is the next revolution on the horizon. Simply because no one can afford the start-up costs or get funding to support the start-up costs otherwise! So it's been a wonderful experience to network with other booksellers, and specifically other booksellers exploring non-traditional models.

Grace Wright, Parnassus Bookstore, Nashville TN:
“When you are on the road you want to be an advertisement for yourself and what you’re doing,” said Wright. “The bus is great in its own right, but you can use it to promote your store every single way you can and every single moment of its life. It really will help you reach parts of the community that maybe your brick-and-mortar hasn’t, just because of location.” (from bookweb.org)

Carla Ketner, Paige the Bookmobile (Chapters Bookstore), Seward NE: 
How slow the process of getting it up and running has been. I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the enthusiastic reception it’s getting, even before it’s ready for its first event. My facebook posts about it are getting lots of attention. People are enthusiastic about the idea of hosting bookfairs with us at their schools. It’s been fun!

But we made it successfully through our first season without a breakdown, and the schools we worked with were happy with their sales. We picked up at least one book fair that we wouldn’t have hosted without the bookmobile and have had inquiries from schools we’ve never worked with about potential events with them in the spring or next fall. Paige has generated positive attention for us and has reminded people in the community that our brick and mortar store is here. All in all, it’s been a great experience.

Zsamé Morgan, Babycake’s Book Stack, St. Paul MN:  
I have been very surprised with how supportive and encouraging most everyone in the book industry has been. I was also pleasantly surprised at how wonderful the library staff was that I purchased the bookmobile from. I have also been surprised with how underprepared I still feel, even after boot camp, interning extensively at Moon Palace and reading the online dialogs between other owners.

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Thanks so much to BrocheAroe, Carla, Chelsea, Christen, Julia, and Zsame for taking the time to chat about their experiences. If you're interested in opening a bookmobile or currently operate a bookmobile, and you'd like to share your experience as well, feel free to weigh in on the comments below or send us an email.