Small Stores Share Strategies for Maximizing Space

Bookselling This Week recently talked to the owners of three bookstores with retail spaces under 1,500 square feet to see how they maximize the retail space in their stores.

Vina Castillo and Holly Nikodem of Kew & Willow Books in Queens, New York, told BTW that their store is only 700 square feet of retail space, with a basement area used only for storage.

At first, the owners were worried that the size of the space would be too small, but after being open for two years, they’ve found it to be the perfect size for the Kew Garden neighborhood.

The fireplace at Kew & Willow.

“Customers love how cozy it is and that our selection is very carefully curated,” they said.
“In a way, the size of the store helps us pay even more attention to what sits on the shelves. Every fixture/surface pulls double duty — our floor units are low enough to double as display tables.”

All of the store’s wall space is lined with built-in shelves, Nikodem and Castillo said, which makes the space feel more open. In the kids’ section, the store has cubbies on the wall, which are perfect for picture books; they can also be used for displays on top.

There’s also a fireplace in Kew & Willow, and Castillo and Nikodem told BTW that its mantel is a great spot for a display.

The owners added that their space has a “second level” of sorts that houses the kids’ section and also serves as an event space, noting that, “By having the author in that elevated section, we can fit chairs there and also in the lower level. In the past, we have also hosted a couple of events in a larger venue — we have a cemetery nearby that has a huge hall — but we’ve been able to use our space just fine. At full capacity, we can hold about 45-50 attendees, mixed seating and standing.”

Booksellers looking to maximize their space should look for ways to be creative, Nikodem and Castillo added.

“Pay attention to the genres your customers steer toward. That is a huge help when ordering because it helps you in understanding which sections can be expanded or made smaller,” said Castillo and Nikodem. “You don’t need a huge space if you curate a collection of titles that people find engaging and unique! They’ll come back just to see what new, unusual items are in stock. And be able to order whatever you don’t have quickly.”

Green Bean's outdoor space.

Jennifer Green of Green Bean Books in Portland, Oregon, told BTW that her store is about 500 square feet inside and has a 450-square-foot outdoor covered deck area. To maximize on space, she also has moveable shelves.

“I have all the middle shelves on wheels so they can be moved out of the way, and then also stacked stools and hidden cushions that we pull out for events,” Green said. “We do a lot of events on our covered deck when we can because it allows for larger crowds. We got a grant for deck heaters, so that has helped extend our outdoor deck season. One time we packed 75 people onto our deck!”

Space is always an issue, she added, noting that it’s sometimes like playing Tetris to find a spot for something in the store. “We have to be really vigilant about returns,” she said. “[But] I do like the cozy small feel of our store, too, so I’m happy with our size for now.”

In addition to using rolling and movable shelves, the store also tries to change displays and rearrange books as often as it can to keep the store looking fresh and new.

The store also hosts many events, including five story times per week as well as author events, workshops, read-to-a-dog sessions, puppet shows, and much more.

“If we expect more than 75 people, we try to arrange for an offsite venue,” Green said. “We’ve used the theater down the street, partnered with the library, and hosted authors with a local nonprofit to maximize our space options.”

When it comes to maximizing space in-store, said Green, “Just own your space with your full personality and character and be proud of the little bit of goodness that you have! Big doesn’t always mean better.”

An image of the moveable shelves on tracks at City of Asylum.

At City of Asylum in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, manager Lesley Rains and co-founder/president R. Henry Reese told BTW that the venue, which includes a restaurant, performance space, and bookstore, dedicates about a third of the space — about 1,200 to 1,500 square feet — to retail bookselling.

To make the best use of the retail area in terms of both space and promoting books, Rains and Reese said that City of Asylum, like Green Bean, uses moveable shelves on tracks. “When we host events, the shelves can be rolled out to the side to create more space for the audience members,” Rains said. “Once the event is over, we work quickly to move the shelves back into place so that customers can browse again.”

Reese added that there are two other types of shelves used in-store, including fixed shelves that line the walls and table-type carts that can be rolled around, which both work to maximize the amount of display space in-store.

Since City of Asylum hosts as many as four events per week, and sometimes more, Rains and Reese said that being able to move shelves to make room for seating is key. “When all the shelves are cleared from the center space,” Rains said, “we can fit about 200 people in seats.”

The way City of Asylum uses space means that they can showcase more books, Reese added. “Occasionally, if we’re doing some kind of promotional program where we’re featuring something in particular, we can take more of the mobile tables and push them together to make a bigger display.”

For booksellers who are looking to make the most of their space, Rains said, “flexibility is your friend.”

“To the degree that it’s feasible to create a certain level of mobility and re-purposing of space dynamically, you might not be able to get more books in the store, but you can use the space more efficiently,” Reese said. “That’s the approach we took.”