Bookselling

The store will stock a select collection of fiction and non-fiction books (printed and audio) specifically targeted toward: 

Ø  local and out-of-town visitors to the many festivals and parties in the downtown area,

Ø  those interested in local history,

Ø  children (ages 0-18),

Ø  parents,

Ø  tourists, and

Ø  students and academia from nearby schools (elementary through college). 

 Bo Tree will also stock local, regional, and national newspapers and a diverse range of magazines and journals.

 The bulk of the book selection will be new books, but used and out-of-print books will also be available.  Bo Tree will focus on the following categories: 

Ø  Nationwide bestsellers lists

Ø  Student reading lists / Abbreviated summaries (i.e. Clif’s Notes)

Ø  Current events

Ø  Local interests/writers (in order to emphasize the historical and cultural heritage of the region and the town and to differentiate itself from larger retailers)

Ø  Environmental issues / “Green Living”

Ø  Humanities (classic & contemporary literature, art, history, philosophy)

Ø  Religion (western, eastern, esoteric)

Ø  Business/Management

Ø  Leadership/Teamwork

Ø  Self-Improvement (physically – health/fitness, mentally, emotionally, spiritually)

Ø  Psychology/Sociology

Ø  Parenting

Ø  Children’s Literature

A large and interactive children’s area will be a trademark of Bo Tree.  This area will provide ample space for children and parents to read, play, or enjoy the regularly scheduled story time.

Additionally, there will be special groupings of recommended products (not limited to books) that simplify the customer’s search:

Ø  “A Life in Books” - Based on Newsweek’s column and National Public Radio’s segment which both asked notable personalities to list their favorite books with one line explanations of what they loved about each.

Ø  “Book Bouquet” - Customers can choose a set of books from a pre-made list that will cover any occasion and give this bouquet as a gift instead of a card or flowers: graduation, marriage or engagement, illness/grief, pregnant/birth, divorce, various holidays, etc.  Lists will also be available for contemporary topics, local issues, or traditional fields of study (health, classical literature, cooking, religion, philosophy, etc.) for someone seeking to immerse themselves into a topic.  When a minimum number of books are chosen, additional items/services will be included at no extra cost (greeting card, bag, wrapping, delivery, etc.).  Products and services from other areas of Bo Tree could also be considered in these bundles (food, classes, etc.).

Ø  Reading Club selections – We will provide easy access to popular reading club selections like the Oprah Book Club while establishing our own book club for specific topics, such as philosophy or parenting.  Members will have special privileges including free use of store space for discussion groups.