The most classic image of a bookstore is that of a family-run bookshop, where the owner, immersed in the chaos of countless books, was himself a lover of reading and a profound expert on names, dates, and titles. Once upon a time, you simply walked in and asked the bookseller for a title or author, and he would immediately begin researching, sometimes climbing tall wooden ladders to the top shelves.
Today, much of this reality has changed. There are still small, characteristic, family-run bookshops, but increasingly widespread are the franchise bookshops of large publishing brands, where it is no longer the mind of the old bookseller who records the names, titles and positions of the books on the shelves, but computers and specific programs for cataloguing, archiving, ordering, classifying…
Today, if they are not franchised bookstores, they are often individual bookstores specializing in certain publishing sectors, such as travel bookstores, children’s bookstores, and school bookstores.
Like all changes, this one brings with it a certain melancholy and nostalgia for the old, quaint bookstores. But at the same time, the modern structure of bookstores, the IT support, the speed of ordering and delivery, the ease of searching for titles and authors, and the numerous editorial offerings on the market have meant that bookstores have also become large businesses with marketing plans and staff training courses, businesses that employ thousands of people nationwide.
When and why to open a bookstore
When deciding to open a bookstore, it’s important to carefully plan the operation, taking into account various factors, such as the best location and whether to franchise or own your own.
It’s then necessary to plan the products and services offered, therefore evaluating whether it’s better to opt for a bookstore specialized in a specific sector, for example travel, art, music, adult literature, children’s publishing, or choose one with a catalog that covers all the various publishing sectors. Consider not only selling books but also offering alternative services such as reading promotion projects, stationery, gadgets, author and book presentations, and musical and literary evenings.
But forget that to open a bookshop you ultimately need to complete very specific bureaucratic and commercial tasks.
With this guide, we aim to provide useful and practical guidelines on how to open a bookstore.
Where to open a bookstore
A bookstore is essentially a shop that sells a specific product, such as books and stationery (diaries, calendars, greeting cards, pens, paints, etc.). One of the first things to consider when opening a new retail business is to conduct a market analysis and assess the area where you want to open your bookstore, which will ultimately be your target customer base.
- Are there other bookstores in this area?
- If there are other bookstores, what type of bookstores are they: are they small specialized bookstores? Are they franchises?
- What will be unique about my library compared to others?
- What customer base can I expect for my bookstore? Is the area where I want to open it a small town? How many people live in a city?
- What location would be best to open the bookstore? Downtown? On the outskirts with available parking? Inside a shopping mall?
Franchised bookstores
The choice to open a franchise bookstore might seem easier than opening your own. What are some reasons you might prefer to open a franchise bookstore? Here are a few:
- leverage an already well-known publishing brand that will immediately give visibility and credibility to our new business;
- being able to count on support in starting up the business, such as choosing the premises, setting up the business, and choosing the book catalogue;
- being able to seek help with our management for doubts that arise during our work and also being able to choose to enroll in training courses and refresher courses;
- take advantage of the advertising campaigns that our franchise brand promotes nationwide, where our store is also listed in the list of various bookshop locations;
- participate in initiatives promoted by the franchise brand, such as promotions, new book launches, promotional brochures, etc.
Individually/family-run bookshops
The alternative to franchising is to open your own family- or individual-run bookstore . This, like any choice, certainly has its advantages and disadvantages.
One of the advantages of opening your own bookshop is certainly the greater entrepreneurial freedom in making all the various choices associated with the new business:
- freedom in choosing the image of our library with regards to the name, the logo, the type of installations, the location
- the ability to choose the catalogue of books to market, for example by creating a specialist bookshop for travel books, children’s books, etc.
- create a program of collateral initiatives (see “Alternative services offered” in this Guide) according to your own initiatives and entrepreneurial ideas
On the other hand, opening your own bookstore certainly won’t provide you with the support you’d expect from franchised bookstores, including training courses, management assistance, and promotional support (see “Franchising Bookstores” in this Guide).
When starting a new business, it is therefore important to carefully consider certain aspects, such as:
- take into consideration the indispensable fact of having to rely on one’s own entrepreneurial skills and ideas
- Evaluate the costs of running our bookstore: rent or purchase of premises, book storage, promotional and advertising activities, salaries for any collaborators, various taxes
- ability to manage the editorial catalogue of books on sale
- ability to update oneself in the publishing sector by participating in specialization and refresher courses, publishing sector fairs, reading sector magazines
- become aware of having to deal with a whole series of more technical and bureaucratic aspects: accounting, deadlines, database management
How to open a bookstore
A kit created by a company specializing in new businesses that allows you to easily overcome all the challenges associated with opening a bookstore and decide with confidence how to best launch this entrepreneurial venture. It’s a truly effective and intelligent online solution that allows you to plan, evaluate, implement, and successfully launch your bookselling business.
Bureaucratic aspects
Once you’ve decided to open your own bookstore and chosen a location, you’ll need to submit an application to the Municipality to start your business, as well as registering your business with the Chamber of Commerce.
It’s also important to consider whether spaces are planned for alternative activities and services, such as a children’s area or a refreshment/café area, as is already the case in some franchised bookstores where you can enjoy breakfast, a snack, or a quick lunch surrounded by bookshelves. In such cases, additional bureaucratic permits are required.
In summary, some of the aspects that will have to be dealt with are:
- opening of VAT number
- registration in the Company Register of the Chamber of Commerce
- communication and authorization to start commercial activity
- INAIL
- INPS
- usability of the premises
- various taxes such as waste taxes
- contributions foreseen for copyright to Siae (Italian Society of Authors and Publishers) in the case, for example, of wanting to play music in clubs
- membership in trade associations
To fulfill these and other bureaucratic and administrative duties and responsibilities, it is advisable to rely on an expert accountant, especially since the relevant regulations may vary from municipality to municipality and may be subject to significant changes over time.
Alternative services offered by bookstores
A bookstore isn’t just a place to sell books; it can also be a place for meeting and cultural exchange. Therefore, it’s important to offer other services beyond book sales that can capture the attention of potential customers.
As already happens in some libraries, activities such as:
- book presentations in the presence of the author and illustrious cultural figures;
- reading and entertainment activities for the little ones;
- musical events linked to cultural initiatives and events;
- poetry reading;
- small refresher courses in the publishing sector aimed at teachers;
- reading promotion activities in schools, institutions, associations;
- participation in local and national events and initiatives promoting culture and reading;
- sale of magazines and newspapers;
- sale of audiobooks;
- sale of music CDs, DVDs, stationery and gadgets.
Websites to consult for opening a bookstore
- Italian Booksellers’ Association (ALI)
The ALI website offers updated and useful information on its activities and initiatives, its member booksellers’ benefits, and its training and refresher courses. The website also includes a map of bookshops in Italy. - Orvieto Booksellers
‘ School website. This website provides professional training for bookseller training, founded in collaboration between ALI, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, and the Fondazione Centro Studi Città di Orvieto. The website includes a description of the school, regulations, and the application process for the Advanced Training Course in Bookshop Management, a program of activities, sponsoring organizations and companies, course instructors, and useful contact information. - Umberto Eco and Elisabetta Mauri School for Booksellers (EUEM)
Website of the School for Booksellers, which organizes refresher courses, seminars, and conferences for booksellers. The website provides information about the School, its teaching activities, and the awards it offers for booksellers. - Italian Booksellers’ and Stationers’ Union.
Website of the Italian Booksellers’ and Stationers’ Union, which aims to protect the professional category of booksellers. The website contains texts of laws and decrees relating to the book trade. - Mondadori Editore
Mondadori Editore website where you can find all the information you need to know about opening a Mondadori Group franchise bookstore.
