Today we’d like to introduce you to Lauri Matuska.
Hi Lauri, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I never thought I would own a bookstore – the opportunity just sort-of dropped into my lap. I actually taught high school English at a private school for 13 years, but I have two chronic illnesses and things got to the point that I was constantly in a state of flare, so I had to retire, which I did in May 2023.
The opportunity for the bookstore came about as the result of a rumor that a local coffee shop was for sale. I have a particular fondness for that coffee shop, and I hated to think of the town losing it. I know nothing about owning a coffee shop, but I figured I could learn, so I followed the rumor trail and ended up meeting the owners of the building that houses my bookstore. They confirmed that the coffee shop was not for sale – it had actually just been purchased, and I was hearing echoes of the pre-purchase news. Further discussion revealed that we all thought the building where the coffee shop is located would also be the perfect spot for a bookstore, and the rest fell into place. One of the features of my store is a doorway that opens to the coffee shop, allowing visitors to flow between both.
The Story Peddler opened in August 2023, mostly because I thought it would be a fun adventure, but also because I thought it would be a good fit for my next job – something that didn’t come with as much innate stress as teaching, so I could escape the cycle of chronic flare while continuing to be employed. I designed the store to be a cozy, inviting third space that celebrates reading, coffe, and community.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Overall, it has been mostly smooth. My largest hurdle is the learning curve. As I mentioned, I taught high school English, so my knowledge base is founded on literature, not on running a business. Fortunately, there are a lot of avalible resources for entrepreneurs, in general and in the bookselling industry, so I’m learning as I go. I’m probably rather unconventional in my approach, and I imagine there are a lot of things I don’t even know that I don’t know, but I’m constantly revising as needed, which means the business is getting more and more streamlined every day.
The second hurdle would be the economy. Books are a luxury item, and when money’s tight, luxury items are usually the first to go. Also, as an independent bookseller, I can’t offer the deep discounts customers can receive at the bigger chain stores. However, there are a ton of tools out there to help me be more competitive. In addition to the books I sell in my physical store, I have the ability to offer more titles, including ebooks and audio books, through online affiliate programs, which helps make The Story Peddler more viable.
We’ve been impressed with The Story Peddler bookstore, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
The Story Peddler is a small, independently owned bookstore connected to a coffee shop/cafe. We focus on being a favorite third space – a place where customers can gather and feel welcomed and comfortable. Our space is small, but our proximity to the coffee shop helps make us a place where people can hang out and build community.
One aspect of The Story Peddler that I deeply love is the author events we host once a month. These readings and book signings connect authors with readers and help strengthen a love of literacy in the community, so much so that in September of 2024 The Story Peddler was granted the New Small Business award by the Bellville Chamber of Commerce because of the impact these events have had.
Today, the bookstore is beginning to get firmly planted, so my desire is to turn our focus outward. My staff and I have established some incredible community partnerships, and we really enjoy working with individuals and businesses for off-site events. In the past year, we’ve been honored to partner with local individuals and businesses in some really unique ways. In addition to a scholastic book fair we supply annually, we’ve coordinated with the San Felipe de Austin State Historical site and we’ve hosted the book table for a local church retreat. We’re also partnering with a local retreat/guest house to establish a community writing group. I’m currently working to organize a reading outreach, and my staff and I are brainstorming other ways we can reach out to and give back to the community. I would love for The Story Peddler to be as known for our community impact as we are for our customer service and selection of books and sidelines.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
The Story Peddler is greatly assisted by Bookshop.org and Libro.FM. Both online sites are non-profit book marketplaces dedicated to financially supporting local independent bookstores. Through Bookshop.org I can offer any titles that are currently being printed by the publisher, including ebooks, and customers can have their books delivered straight to their homes. Libro.FM allows me to offer audio books, as well, which enables The Story Peddler to be competitively viable in all reading formats. Also, both sites give 30% of each purchase directly to whichever store their customer chooses to support, which helps us be commercially viable in the world of super giant sellers and chain bookstores.
I’m also greatly indebted to the American Booksellers Association, the Mountains and Plains Independent Booksellers Association, and The Professional Booksellers School websites for the connections, resources, and courses they offer that help me learn how to run a business in the bookselling industry.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.storypeddlerbooks.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storypeddlerbooks/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StoryPeddlerBooks
Image Credits
Images are the work of Stephaine Noska at Olive Branch Marketing
