Lindon Bookstore -- A Dynamic Work in Progress

In 1985, when Linda Rolczynski and her then-partner Donna Flint opened Lindon Bookstore in Enumclaw, Washington, Rolczynski had plenty of experience tending her flock of sheep, but none relating to bookselling. With Lindon's 20th anniversary just a little over a year away, Rolczynski talked with BTW about the evolution of her store.

On the first day of operation, Rolczynski said, she "felt qualified to do nothing but make coffee. It was definitely on-the-job training." She relied on the skills of her partner, who had a few months of bookselling experience. But after a year and a half, Flint wanted to travel and leave the business. Rolczynski was left with the choice of running things on her own, something she considered a daunting prospect, or selling. With the support of the Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association and her network of fellow booksellers, Rolczynski worked up the confidence to buy out her partner.

Enumclaw, a small city on a plateau abutting the Cascade Foothills, has become a bedroom community of Seattle. "We look right out the window and claim Mt. Rainier as our own," said Rolczynski. The nearly all-window storefront is one of the original details kept intact on the1930s building that ori ginally housed a variety store. Also left intact were the red ceramic tiles outlining the huge windows. "They were too good to take down," she explained.

Like many booksellers, Rolczynski considers her bookstore to be a work in progress. "I still find new, better ways to tweak things. More ways to save money. I'm learning all the time."

One of the hardest adjustments for Rolczynski was recognizing what kind of store to be. Initially, she had large-scale plans for Lindon Bookstore. "I wanted to be another Tattered Cover, Powell's, or Elliott Bay. I wanted to have whatever someone wanted to be on the shelf. It took years to realize the community couldn't support that kind of bookstore. The hardest thing was to take down the inventory to a reasonable level." It was an important and cost-reducing revelation, and she discovered that sales stayed the same with half the amount of inventory.

Rolczynski keeps Lindon novel by frequently changing the selection of sidelines. "We dabble in all kinds," she said. "We carry plush toys, jigsaw puzzles, jewelry. Things come and go. The books will always be here I tell people, but if you a see a sideline you like, buy it because it may not be here the next time you come in."

To stay dynamic, Lindon Bookstore has developed a BookSense.com Web site, www.lindonbookstore.com, and has joined the Book Sense Gift Card program. Rolczynski told BTW, "We got into gift cards right at Thanksgiving. It was an easy transition, and the customers appreciated it. We use the Web site for activating and redeeming. We haven't had any problems, and I just saw a note at the cashwrap that said we're running out." She planned to order another 250 cards and reported that Lindon had sold nearly 500 to date.

With all of her tinkering and years of knowledge, Rolczynski said she still doesn't think she'd be able to stay open without the help of manager Mollie Dow who's been at Lindon for 13 years. "It's like having a partner," she said.

It's been nearly two decades since Rolczynski left shepherding for bookselling and sometimes she's a little astounded by her transformation from newbie to weathered pro. "I can not believe what I know now," she said. "Every time I consider retiring so I can travel, I think about all the knowledge I have, all the stuff I know about bookselling. It would be such a waste not to use it. And I love to read. I love the people. I love that every day is different, and you never know who will walk in the door." --Karen Schechner