Kids’ Bookstores Find Success With Adult Titles

Though the reading needs of children will always be the heart of their businesses, a growing number of kids’ specialty stores are adding or expanding inventory to cater to the adults who accompany their best customers to the store. Whether it is to reinforce the message that reading is just as important for adults, or to fill a hole left by the closing of a nearby general bookstore, children’s booksellers have met with success when devoting space to grown-up titles, too.

Hooray for Books! in Alexandria, Virginia, is located in a tourist area, close to hotels, subways, and the train station. Because of this, the store has carried a small selection of adult titles to meet the needs of travelers. In addition, said co-owner Trish Brown, “we wanted to reinforce the message that parents read, too.”

Hooray for Books! recently expanded its adult section from two bookcases to three, the third holding nonfiction titles. “Sales have been great,” Brown said, adding that she is looking for ways to reorganize the store to add more adult titles without sacrificing children’s books. When selecting titles, Brown primarily refers to the Indie Next List, as well as the New Atlantic Independent Booksellers Association bestseller list, Shelf Awareness, PW Daily, and discussions on Twitter.

“My experience is that folks aren’t looking for mainstream titles when they shop here, with the exception of books like Fifty Shades of Grey, so while I look at Ingram Demand and Barnes & Noble lists, I depend much more on the indie lists,” she explained.

Hooray for Books! staff reads as many ARCs from publishers as possible and turns to customers for suggestions, often asking those that have not made a purchase, What type of book would you have bought if you’d seen it on the shelf?

“I’ve always been an admirer of small general bookstores that have a thoughtfully curated selection of children’s books,” said Brown, “and I’m hoping that we’re able to accomplish the same thoughtfulness with our grown-up titles.”

Hooray for Books! displays a sign outside that reads “We have grown-up books, too!” and staff members make sure to tell customers as well. They also let customers know that if a book is not in stock, the store can order it and receive it in just a few days.

“My favorite thing is when one of our customers asks us to order an adult title, and we already have it in stock,” said Brown.

When Falmouth, Massachusetts’ general bookstore closed 15 years ago, Eight Cousins stepped up to fill the void.

“We felt that Main Street needed to have some adult books,” said Eight Cousins owner Carol Chittenden, “And one shelf quickly grew to a whole section. As of May 2011, we became the only bricks-and-mortar bookstore in town, so we’re trying hard to meet as many needs as possible.”

Eight Cousins currently fills a 15-foot-wide wall with adult titles, “but it’s not enough,” said Chittenden, who has been shelving additional adult titles wherever she can find the space.

“We’re searching for every cubic inch we can find without seriously disrupting our attractive floor plan or diminishing our respected children’s collection,” she said.

Titles are chosen in the same way Eight Cousins chooses children’s books: by paying close attention to publisher offerings, customer requests, and reviews from trusted sources. “We monitor constantly, constantly,” said Chittenden.

The store orders frontlist titles from reps, and backlist, when they can make a minimum, by EDI with publishers that can deliver within five days. If an order will take longer, Eight Cousins turns to wholesalers.

The bookstore is in a high-traffic area, and the adult books are prominently displayed near the front of the store. That helps sales, said Chittenden, who also listens to tips for signage and displays from sales reps, who know their market well.

From its beginnings, Bookbug, a children’s specialty store in Kalamazoo, Michigan, carried a small selection of adult titles, featuring a handful of local authors and new adult fiction and nonfiction that staff members enjoyed. The selection always sold relatively well since it was displayed at the counter, recommended by staff, and well-matched to the local market, said co-owner Joanna Parzakonis. When Bookbug expanded in 2011, Parzakonis decided to invest in a larger inventory of adult titles, which now includes both hardcover and paperback adult fiction and general nonfiction. Eight shelves are dedicated to these titles, which represent close to 20 percent of Bookbug’s total book inventory.

“We now think of ourselves as somewhat of an ‘inverse general bookstore,’” said Parzakonis.

Adult titles are chosen from trusted lists and recommendations, including the Indie Next List, The Millions, and adult literary magazines and journals. “We still make every attempt to read our entire inventory of adult books, which makes handselling to parents, grandparents, and teens a cinch,” she said.

Most of Bookbug’s adult titles are ordered direct from publishers. As the primary buyer, Parzakonis also relies on trusted sales reps, who are familiar with the store’s market as well as her personal interests.

The store features at least one adult title in its newsletter and has recently begun hosting author events for adults.

Another way Bookbug brings attention to the adult section and ties it into the majority of its inventory is by pairing new adult titles with suggested family or children’s “read-together” books. A recent example is Nick Dybek’s new book, When Captain Flint Was Still a Good Man (Riverhead), which is partly inspired by and makes explicit references to Treasure Island.

“Marketing a book like this together with a good-selling children’s title is a no-brainer,” Parzakonis said. “While not all of our read-together suggestions are as obvious as this one, we welcome the chance to encourage family members to read similar books and talk to each other about them.”

In addition, books for every age group are featured on Bookbug’s IndieCommerce website, which emphasizes that, while the store specializes in children’s and young adult literature, it is not just for kids.

“We are very pleased with the performance of our adult section,” said Parzakonis. “While it still only represents a small percentage of total sales, its turnover rate of four-plus units per title per year is among our best performing sections — attributable to its carefully curated nature, the fact that our staff know the titles well, and that many of us are as passionate about literary fiction/nonfiction for adults as we are about high quality books for kids.”

Hicklebee’s in San Jose, California, started offering a selection of adult titles more than 20 years ago, “almost like a sideline,” said store manager Ann Seaton. “It met the needs of the adults who came in with their kids, or for the children in their lives.” When the general bookstore down the street closed five years ago, Hicklebee’s expanded its dedicated adult space from eight shelves to 40.

As with its children’s titles, Hicklebee’s staff recommendations are the top adult sellers. To choose inventory, the store relies on its sales reps, who give excellent guidance, said Seaton, and staff learns what other booksellers are excited about through the Indie Next Lists and local bestsellers lists.

Hicklebee’s orders adult titles directly from the publishers. “It took some effort to set up sales reps for the adult side,” said Seaton, “but it has been well worth it.”

“Adult sales have grown proportionately with the increase in space,” she said. “Though the growth has leveled off, sales from our adult section represents the third or fourth bestselling section in the store each month.”