Learning!

Yesterday afternoon I spent at The Bookcase in Wayzata talking with owner, Charlie Leonard.  Beforehand though, I got to have lunch with my dad (one of my biggest fans) at a restaurant nearby.  We had planned to go to a little place that he & Jacquie love, but it was filled to the brim with a Red Hat Ladies group.  So we went down the block to a Sushi & Japanese restaurant.  How bad could Japanese be? I said.  Well, it was very good, but 95% of the menu was sushi & the only things in English were tempura & several kinds of fish!  Pretty funny, since we didn't want to try sushi - I draw the line with having eel for lunch.  I'm sorry. Can't go there in my food rules. Anyway, we had a great time talking.

After lunch I went over to The Bookcase & met Charlie. I picked his brain on everything I could bookstore related.  Very knowledgeable man.  They have a great store that he just purchased two years ago.  They do a ton of author signings & events, have been in existence for 50 years & are very well connected in the community.  The reason I wanted to do a mini-internship there is because the type of books they carry are very similar to what I would like in my store. Plus, it is connected to a Caribou coffee, just like we will be (only a Dunn Bros).

Charlie is graciously allowing me to come & observe any event that I would like & also I can come & hang out in his store & see how the daily business works there. I especially want to check out an author signing.  They have several each week & lately they have been getting alot of very well known authors.  I also want to check out a book club. I had the privilege to meet one of his Book Club leaders. She was very sweet & well seasoned in books. You know, one of those people who ooze literary knowledge? She hosts the Mystery Book Club. 

It was a great day!  I'll keep you posted as I make other visits there.