May results.

Our sales for May were down 6% from last year. I think I mentioned that last May was a bit of an outlier; about 10% higher than the rest of spring last year. So it was going to be hard to beat.

Nevertheless, combined with the 3% drop last month, we are two/thirds of the way to a trend.

In hindsight, it's pretty obvious that the drastic fall in sales that started in Sept. 2008 had begun to level off around April of last year, which makes perfect sense.

I expect we'll have good months and bad months from now on, maybe for a couple more years. I have to remember what I told myself going into this: these things drop farther, last longer than you think they will....


I think the last six months have probably been hard on everyone. Even though the Spotted Mule isn't downtown, it has been around Bend for a long, long time. It once occupied the building next to where the Bookmark is now; I always wondered at the massive building they constructed on Third St.

There have been about 7 businesses closing and 1 business opening in the last two months, which closed the gap downtown. (Openings had been outpacing closings...)


Seven months of increased sales had begun to fool even skeptical old me. I'd begun to factor a 5% increase in sales for my business plans. But, again in hindsight, the increases were rather pathetic when put into the context of how horrible the plunge of 08 was...

Now, I'm factoring in a 5% decrease in sales -- which means I won't be hurt by that amount of drop, and since I'm pretty quick to respond these days, I could probably drop even further -- even with employees and keeping the store up. I intend to make a profit no matter where the sales land.

The optimist in me still thinks that we'll see a 5% increase -- but my planning self is being careful. I have the wonderful luxury of responding the ACTUAL level of sales through my reordering.

Interestingly, our comic and graphic novels accounted for a full 60% of sales in May; they've been hovering at or slightly below 50% for the last few years due to my diversification. It's good that I can count on my regulars even during slow months; and indicates to me that off the street sales were down. My games and books sales being lower, also indicate to me a lack of strength in tourism and walk-ins. My regulars become even more important in slow months.

Another interesting trend is that comics monthlies have actually gained strength, while graphic novels have lost some of their momentum. There was much talk a few years ago of G.N.'s replacing comics; it certainly seemed the trend and I responded to it by increasing my selection mightily. But...it appears to have stalled a bit; not being able to sell Manga is part of that.

But I've also begun to order more monthlies in advance, and to be quicker on reorders, because -- even with the prices going up -- there seems to be nice, solid base of readers.


The overall economy. I've mentioned before that I think we're in a double dip. If it was ever up at all. This was the Kitty Hawk of recoveries -- not much better than a hang glider could do. Not a real powered-up recovery. In fact, if you see the drop-0ff of 2007-2008 as the White Cliffs of Dover type drop-off, it wasn't too hard to glide above those numbers.

So it's -- be careful and watch the skies.