Today, we’d like to introduce you to Lorraine Wilburn.
Hi Lorraine, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Like a lot of people, during the pandemic shutdowns, I started to reevaluate my life and what I wanted to do. I wasn’t happy with the work I was doing, and I was ready for a change. I love reading books and independent bookstores, and I always dreamed of owning a bookstore. When I am on vacation, I always find a bookstore to visit. I grew up with a few really great bookstores. I moved to North Canton 11 years ago and always missed having a good independent bookstore. I talked to my husband about opening a bookstore once we all emerged from the pandemic, and he encouraged me to go for it. I spent the next year learning as much as I could about business and purchasing books. I quickly filled my house and a few large storage units. I began looking for real estate. Once I found our location, things happened pretty quickly. With the help of my family and friends, we renovated, moved in, and opened within a few months on November 26, 2022.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
My big obstacle starting out was securing funding. A lot of people don’t think a bookstore is a good risk, and I understand why that may be, but I believe in bookstores, and they are having a renaissance right now, so I was not deterred. In the end, I used personal savings and changed my vision a little, but it all worked out. Since then, the obstacles are the same that any new small business might experience. It is challenging and a lot of work, but very rewarding.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next, you can tell us a bit more about your business?
We are a woman-owned, independent bookstore selling both new and used books and gifts. We host book clubs, author events, and signings. We are proud to carry many products made by local makers and artists, and almost all of the lines we carry are from woman-owned small businesses. We also carry many local authors. We have a lot of talent here in North Canton and beyond, and I am happy to offer a place to showcase that talent and support local small businesses. Independent bookstores also offer something you will never get with an algorithm: personalized customer service and recommendations. I am passionate about books and love to help people find their next favorite read or discover new authors. We aren’t able to stock as much as a big box bookstore, but if we don’t have what you are looking for, we can order it!
Beyond what we offer to buy, we are a safe space for all. We want everyone to browse, take a seat, let the stresses of life melt away. We want to be the third place for the community. A third place is a location that facilitates social interaction outside of the people you live or work with and encourages public relaxation and conversation. We feel pretty strongly that we need more third places and connections to the community. We’ve lost so many third places in our society over the last couple of decades, but I think the pandemic brought that loss into focus and made a lot of us realize that we need more places for community. We are craving community and connection. It is my hope that everyone finds it here.
What do you think about happiness?
It makes me so happy when someone walks into the store, gasps with delight, and tells me how much they love the store. Especially the kids! There is no better feeling than knowing you created something that others love and appreciate as much as you do. Happiness is recommending a book to a young reader and having them come back a couple of days later because they loved it and HAVE to read the next book in the series. Happiness is being surrounded by books. Happiness is connecting in a meaningful way with our community in the age of divisiveness. In short, bookstores make me happy. Especially mine.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.littlesparrowbooks.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/littlesparrowbooks/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/littlesparrowbooks/
