08/26/2026
This is kind of a long post, but please take a moment to read it. ❤️
That is the total number of books, stickers, and other items we have sold so far in August. We are entering the final week of the month and have barely reached the sales goal we normally hope to meet during the first week.
We have not shared our numbers lately because we know everyone is struggling. Groceries, bills, and nearly everything else cost more. We never want anyone to feel guilty for not being able to shop.
But staying quiet does not tell the full story.
As you saw in our previous post, independent bookshops are constantly fighting to compete with huge corporations. Our margins are incredibly slim, and we cannot offer the deep discounts billion-dollar companies use to sell books.
Behind the cheerful displays, events, book clubs, and big ideas is a small business desperately trying to make the numbers work while continuing to support our community. We are tired, and we know many other small-business owners are, too. Some are too proud or afraid to say how close to the edge they are.
So we are saying it: we need help getting through this month.
We are closed today to take care of our health and attend important medical appointments that we could not schedule on our regular days off, but our online shop is open at anovelideabookshop.com.
If something is not listed or is out of stock, please fill out the new special-order form on our website. We will get it ordered for you!
Please be patient with us as we process orders and requests. We are working with a very limited number of employees and doing our best to care for every customer.
Please shop online today and come see us when we reopen tomorrow. If you cannot shop, sharing this post or telling a friend also helps tremendously.
We love this bookshop and this community. We are still here, still fighting, and we hope you will help us keep our story going. ❤️
