Today we’d like to introduce you to Julia Bodwell
Hi Julia, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
After teaching middle school language arts for almost a decade, I knew it was time for a new adventure. Leaving my classroom in 2022 was bittersweet, but opening a bookstore was such a rewarding career transition! For many, a bookstore is more than just a retail store; it’s a third space, a community. For the last two years, I’ve been actively building our store’s community through events such as book clubs, author events, and children’s storytimes. We’ve also built relationships with other local businesses, nonprofits, and schools by partnering on special events such as book fairs and fundraisers.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Running any small business is not without its challenges, and in the age of online ordering, operating a brick and mortar bookstore comes with its own set of hurdles. For us, the biggest challenge remains educating customers on why books are so much cheaper online or in big box stores than they are in indie bookstores like ours. While small, independent bookstores sell new books at the suggested retail price set by the publishers, big box stores like Amazon and Barnes and Noble are able to purchase inventory in such bulk quantity that they receive larger discounts, allowing them to deeply discount the prices consumers pay; they also sell books at a loss, something a small business like ours can’t afford to do. But while we can’t offer those deep discounts on our products, we can offer the community that many book lovers crave, whether through our events, or just by getting to know our customers and remembering them by name when they come in to shop.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
The Gilded Page is an indie bookstore, located in the heart of downtown Tarpon Springs. Born from a love of reading and writing, our store opened in early 2023, nearly a decade after our town’s previous bookstore relocated to Dunedin. We believe no town is complete without a bookstore, and so we decided to fill that need within our town by opening our doors! We specialize in new books, gifts, and events, and pride ourselves on being an inclusive space for readers of all ages and walks of life to gather over a shared love of literature. Within the almost two years we’ve been in business, we’ve hosted numerous author events and book clubs, as well as special events such as boozy adult book fairs and book release parties. We’ve worked hard to create strong relationships with neighboring businesses and organizations, such as our local libraries and nonprofits, and do as much as we can to support our local community of authors and artists, whether through author meet & greets, craft fairs, or festivals.
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
In addition to physical books, we also sell audiobooks through our affiliate partner, Libro.fm. If you’re looking for a great alternative to Audible, and want to support a small, independent bookstore like ours, check out Libro.fm!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://thegildedpagebookstore.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thegildedpagebookstore/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheGildedPageBookstore/
