Year in review.

It was a good year. We were up overall by 7% from last year, with much of that happening in the second half of the year, so the trends are good. We were even up on comics in the second half, which have had a three year slide. They've dropped 30% since 2016. Comics have always done these kinds of thing, wild fluctuations. It's why I've always tried to be diversified. That and the fact that comics (along with graphic novels) only get us halfway to prosperity. 

Meanwhile, graphic novels were up significantly. We gave them more room this year and it really paid off. The two categories combined have actually increased from 2016. So it's just a matter of ordering monthly comics correctly.

"New" books have done very well. The more I bring in, the better they sell. Every time I find a good seller, I can add that to the permanent inventory. So I'll be doing more of that in 2020. Graphic novels and new books have converged, to the point where Sabrina and I have had to figure out whether a sale is one or the other.

This trend confirms the idea I've always had that books are a continuum, that they are not separate categories. Books with all words, books with all pictures, and everything in-between. 

All along I've had the sense that "quirky" is better. We have out-of-towners in the store who are looking for something different, not just the latest bestseller. We'll sell a few copies of the big sellers like Where the Crawdads Sing, but we'll sell just as many if not more of old-standards like The Princess Bride or The Man in the High Castle.

I'll be reorganizing the shelves again later this month. I'm finally taking out used books completely. I should be able to add the equivalent of four new five-shelf book racks next year without having to cut back on anything else.

It's amazing, considering how packed the store is that we can still find ways to make the store even more ergonomic. 

This store has really become a forum for Sabrina and my tastes. If we like something, we bring it in, whether or not or it meets anyone else's idea of what Pegasus Books might carry.

All of this is possible because downtown Bend has become a real draw. There was a time when my store survived on the local regulars. We still want and appreciate those customers, but we have such a steady flow of tourists that the ups and downs of business have leveled off a bit. I mean, there are still the February and November slowdowns, but Bend has definitely been discovered. (Whether this is all good is another question.)

We brought in jigsaw puzzles this Christmas and they paid off enough to keep carrying them. I've been trying to bring in more toys whenever possible. Games continue to be a good category though we are facing increased competition and a deluge of new product to choose from. D & D has had a real Renaissance over the last few years. Magic continues to be a solid category. My trick is to carry as many brands at regular price as possible, as long as we can make a small profit.

2020 is the 40th Anniversary of Pegasus Books. (I've owned it since 1984. To my great surprise, it turned into a career...)

The store is solid. This December was a record month.

It took a long time to get here, but it feels very good.