BookSmart owners Brad Jones and Cinda Meister are faithfully
devoted to providing their customers the best and most
comprehensive literature experience in town, even if it’s not the
most profitable occupation.
BookSmart owners Brad Jones and Cinda Meister are faithfully devoted to providing their customers the best and most comprehensive literature experience in town, even if it’s not the most profitable occupation.
For example, on Saturday BookSmart hosted Morgan Hill author Ralph Parks, who spent the afternoon signing “A Complete Loss of Marbles” and talking with fans about how he came up with the story that he described as “fantasy, fiction, comedy – just for fun.”
Parks, 63, is an independent author of sorts himself, and his book was a “family project.” His wife Trudy, who was with him at the book signing, designed the book’s cover and page layout, and Ralph’s brother edited the text.
“I probably wouldn’t be here today if this wasn’t an independent book store,” Ralph Parks said. “They want to help people that are struggling just like they are.”
And earlier that morning, BookSmart hosted a flock of children for its once-monthly BookSmart Art event – where kids can get together and share their artistic creation techniques.
BookSmart is an independent book store on east Second Street. Owned by husband and wife Jones and Meister, stores like theirs offer a financial, cultural and customer service value to the local community that surpasses any bottom-line contribution boasted by bigger chain stores, according to the couple and other indie advocates.
“There are major differences between independent book stores and the bigger stores,” Meister said.
The store frequently donates merchandise, gift certificates and ice cream to community causes and events. It offers its deli as meeting space for groups such as downtown Morgan Hill’s property-based improvement district, and for helpful seminars such as one conducted by a financial consultant Wednesday night.
The local public cable access provider, Morgan Hill Access Television, also uses a small space in the store for its studios.
And that’s in addition to the store’s bread and butter as a promoter of arts and literature with an intense focus on knowing its customers. BookSmart has an “advance copy library” of books that won’t hit the shelves for a few months, Meister said. She and the store’s staff of “book lovers” read all the new books so they will know how to advise customers.
“The beauty of being independent is we have people who are passionate about books that work here. They are happy to match people with books,” Meister said.
They also serve as the local box office, selling tickets to performances at South County venues. BookSmart also produces a monthly comedy show at the Community Playhouse. The couple also just opened a store in Gilroy, Garlic City Books, and they produce a similar show there once a month. Garlic City Books, located in downtown Gilroy at 7490 Monterey St., sells mostly used books and has been well-received by the community since it opened about two months ago.
Arleen Felt was shopping at BookSmart with her 13-year-old son Kevin one recent afternoon, taking advantage of a storewide clearance sale that ends today. She said she only shops at the store a half-dozen or so times a year, but noted the staff is always eager to make special orders.
“I appreciate having the local book store in town,” Arleen Felt said.
But the store is struggling, like any small-town shop that isn’t subsidized by corporate headquarters. The purpose of the gigantic sale at BookSmart that started about two weeks ago is to move some of their inventory and generate some cash flow so they don’t have to continue relying on revolving debt, Jones and Meister have set themselves a goal of selling $100,000 worth of books in 45 days.
BookSmart is not in danger of having to close up shop – the owners just want to adapt to economic conditions that make loans and credit an unreliable way to survive.
“We’re trying to be able to breathe some,” Jones said.
BookSmart won the Northern California Independent Book Sellers Association’s award for the best community book store in the region last year.
The association’s executive director, Hut Landon, said independent book stores provide two major advantages over stores like Barnes & Noble, and Internet outlets like Amazon.com.
“They’re local, they know their customers, they know the books,” Landon said.
Plus, shopping at locally-owned stores keeps more money in town, while big-box retailers ship more proceeds outside the community. While shoppers might save money at chain stores and Web sites, the extra cost at stores like BookSmart pays off as a long-term investment in the community, Landon explained. By shopping outside of town the city is missing out on sales tax revenues, which could eventually lead to higher rates and fees, or less services. Plus, there is a “symbiotic relationship” among BookSmart and neighboring businesses, and if one shuts down the others will start to hurt.
“The consumer has all the power,” Landon said. “By shopping on Amazon or at Barnes & Noble, they are saying they don’t care whether or not they have that store in Morgan Hill.”
One customer of BookSmart is Marty Cheek, who spends time in the store as an MHAT producer and a member of the Morgan Hill Toastmasters Club.
“I really think BookSmart is sort of the living room for Morgan Hill,” Cheek said, noting the variety of groups that conduct meetings, the casual book signings and the owners’ offer of such services for free. “I think Brad and Cinda are very committed to people in the community, and they have your interest in mind about how to serve the customer.”
Coming up at BookSmart
80 East Second Street
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May 8: “Garlicky poets,” 3:30 p.m.
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May 12: Story time with Miss Susan, 6:30 p.m.
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May 20: Monthly book club, 7 p.m.
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May 22: BookSmart Art, 10 a.m.
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June 5: Art class (registration required), 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
