Sunriver Books visit.

We have yard people working in front of our house, so rather than hover, when we were done with our errands yesterday, Linda and I drove to Sunriver Books.

I like the way they have arranged the store, and I especially like their selection of books. Was actually able to get the owners to talk about things for awhile -- I'm probably more than a little overbearing, but it seems to be the only way to get people to open up a little.

We had some agreement on the types of books we want to carry. They obviously cared about the titles, and made a strong effort to bring in books that have quality. We sort of agreed that it was important to carry titles that maybe didn't sell quite as well to be a good bookstore.

She would point at a bookshelf and say, "I have to sell this book, so I can carry the book I really want -- this book. I have to sell this book, so I can stock this book."

(I probably should say -- they do carry best-sellers, as well. )

In the course of the conversation, she mentioned a good friend who has a store in another part of the state, and how well this other store was doing. When she mentioned the numbers, I kind of raised my eyebrows and said, "Are you sure?"

The numbers were so outsized, compared to the situation that other store was in, that it didn't seem likely.

This has happened a number of times over the years; I'm told sales numbers that just seem incredibly overstated. It doesn't make sense And my general rule of thumb is that if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.

She was friends with this other owner, so it would be cognitive dissonance for her to doubt her friend's numbers. But that doesn't keep ME from doubting. Apparently this other store has been around a long time, and there was some independent confirmation of the numbers.

But still....I have my doubts.

What does it matter? Why do I care?

I think it's pertinent, because this other bookstore owner (a whole nother part of the state) had been trying to convince the folks at Sunriver Books that they should crunch the numbers and only carry the books that 'sell.'

I don't think it's coincidence that Central Oregon has a supply of new bookstores that are more varied and diverse. I think it's what works around here. Carrying only best-sellers would put us on a collision course with Barnes and Nobles and Costco. I didn't ask if this "other" bookstore discounted, which would have been a good question.

I suppose in the end it doesn't matter how well another store does, because every situation is different. Bend is different from Sunriver which is different from Redmond, and so on...
Local circumstances are all important.

Anyway, Sunriver Books is a real treat and well worth the drive if any of you Bendites haven't been there yet.