Book Stores in St. Mary's County

[vraiblonde]

We have a Wonder Book and Video up here - talk about a book store! They don't carry a lot of new releases but if you're looking for books on a particular topic, you'll find a zillion of them. I could wander the aisles for hours.

 

[Animal]

st,

I like how you compare the small town of Roanoke with St. Mary's County. Roanoke has more of a population then the entire county so of course they can support more businesses along these lines. Though admittedly I suspect that those would be mostly picture books and of those the ones that you must stay within the lines while coloring.

 

[RoseRed]

Bay Books.

 

[SmallTown]

It's a pain to drive 40 minutes to a book store and find out they don't have what you're looking for either.

Now now elaine, you're a smart woman. Statistically speaking, if there is bookstore A with 1000 books, and bookstore B with 10000 books, which one is more likely to have what you're looking for.

Bay Books would be better served to find a niche in the market. Something that size should just cater to just local items, or religous items, or because of the major employer there, a military oriented store. Fact is, sooner or later a big bookstore is going to come into the area. Bay books won't survive just being a smaller version of them. They will need to find a niche, better to find it now than later.

 

[Animal]

I have a few a.m. appointments in Leonardtown this morning and I want to run some errands afterwards and gather some office supplies. I plan on going to Staples, and I know where that located, but I am wondering, since I do not shop much in Lexington Park, where a bookstore is located. They have to have a good supply of books, because what I am looking for is two popular books in Clinical Intervention. I know they would have them at the Boarder's in Waldorf, but I am trying to avoid traveling that way if I don't need to, and I wondered if there is a Boarder's in LP. If not, where should I go?

Kizzy,

Did you try calling Bay Books to see if they have them or even PMing the request to Joe Dancer who runs the bookstore in Leonardtown?

 

[mAlice]

Now now elaine, you're a smart woman. Statistically speaking, if there is bookstore A with 1000 books, and bookstore B with 10000 books, which one is more likely to have what you're looking for.

Bay Books would be better served to find a niche in the market. Something that size should just cater to just local items, or religous items, or because of the major employer there, a military oriented store. Fact is, sooner or later a big bookstore is going to come into the area. Bay books won't survive just being a smaller version of them. They will need to find a niche, better to find it now than later.

Statistacally speaking? Now you're being funny. I go to BB at least once a month, mostly just to browse. When I have looked for something specific, they've had to order it 3 times. I go to Borders probably twice a year. They have offered to order something I've needed twice. One store is just up the street, the other is a 40 minute drive away. You're a smart guy, ST. Tell me my logic is misplaced.

 

[SmallTown]

st,

I like how you compare the small town of Roanoke with St. Mary's County. Roanoke has more of a population then the entire county so of course they can support more businesses along these lines.

Roanoke county is in the upper 80K range, St. Marys county is in the lower 90k range.

 

[SmallTown]

Statistacally speaking? Now you're being funny. I go to BB at least once a month, mostly just to browse. When I have looked for something specific, they've had to order it 3 times. I go to Borders probably twice a year. They have offered to order something I've needed twice. One store is just up the street, the other is a 40 minute drive away. You're a smart guy, ST. Tell me my logic is misplaced.

I guess you just had better luck. I also gave my experience with going to the store down the street. I didn't just zoom past Bay, I stopped in and gave them a chance almost every time. You think I enjoyed driving to waldorf everytime I needed a book?

 

[sleuth]

Over 30 responces and no one has mentioned the book store on Shangri La Drive

I was just about to suggest that one. I hear it's pretty good.

 

[mAlice]

You think I enjoyed driving to waldorf everytime I needed a book?

Yes, I do. It gave you another reason to dislike the area and complain about it. I think you enjoy being miserable and complaining. I think that's what makes you complete.

 

[vraiblonde]

They will need to find a niche, better to find it now than later.

If he goes niche, it will kill him - not enough people to support it.

What he should do is have events to bring people in and boost store loyalty - book signings by local authors, discussion groups, things like that. They used to do things like this - some fun event - then they'd advertise it with a teeny tiny ad in the Emptyprize and couldn't figure out why no one showed up.

The owners have always had a problem promoting their store, ever since they opened. The only way to stay Mom-and-Pop in this day and age is to have a 21st century marketing plan to back it up.

 

[Animal]

Roanoke county is in the upper 80K range, St. Marys county is in the lower 90k range.

You been back there lately, a simple search shows the following information about that town -

Roanoke (The Star City of the South) is an independent city located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The name Roanoke is said to have originated from the native American word for money.

The town of Big Lick was chartered in 1874. It became the town of Roanoke in 1882 and the city of Roanoke two years later. Its location in the scenic Blue Ridge Mountains, in the middle of the Roanoke Valley between Maryland and Tennessee, made it the transportation hub of western Virginia and contributed to its rapid growth. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 94,911.

 

[SmallTown]

Yes, I do. It gave you another reason to dislike the area and complain about it. I think you enjoy being miserable and complaining. I think that's what makes you complete.

Oh come now, elaine. Everyone knows this is a somd board. A quick look at the threads will show you there are lots of discussions about somd happenings. If I were the way you just stated, I would chime in on every thread and blast this place. but I don't. I do call a spade a spade,however.

 

[vraiblonde]

Another thing is that he needs to branch out more. Tom told me once that the markup on books is really small - you have to sell a lot of them in order to pay your rent, utilities, payroll, etc. This is why they "can't afford" anything other than a third-world marketing effort.

I haven't been in Bay Books in a long time, but I've always thought they could use some seating and maybe a refreshment counter - something to get people in the store and keep them there. As it stands, you go in Bay Books, ask for a particular title, they say, "Sorry - but we can order it for you," and that's the end of it.

I'm a reader and a bookstore troller. If I go into a store and they don't have ANYTHING I want, I won't waste my time going back. BB could branch out into used books and swaps - take a bite out of Joe Dancer, who's doing pretty well with his nifty little shop. There's a lot of stuff they could do to bring people in and increase their bottom line.

 

[SmallTown]

You been back there lately, a simple search shows the following information about that town -

Roanoke (The Star City of the South) is an independent city located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The name Roanoke is said to have originated from the native American word for money.

The town of Big Lick was chartered in 1874. It became the town of Roanoke in 1882 and the city of Roanoke two years later. Its location in the scenic Blue Ridge Mountains, in the middle of the Roanoke Valley between Maryland and Tennessee, made it the transportation hub of western Virginia and contributed to its rapid growth. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 94,911.

I was hoping you would mention that. That would be roanoke city. I mentioned Roanoke county. So if you want to combine two areas, then ok. We'll combine St. Marys and Calvert county. But then the ratio of people to things such as shopping, etc, is really scewed. Any more bright ideas?

 

[Animal]

I was hoping you would mention that. That would be roanoke city. I mentioned Roanoke county. So if you want to combine two areas, then ok. We'll combine St. Marys and Calvert county. But then the ratio of people to things such as shopping, etc, is really scewed. Any more bright ideas?

No you didin't. On the first page you said, and I quote, "Even in the small town of roanoke, we had private bookstores that were actually bigger than a closet
And wow, even when books a million and BN opened, they stayed in business as well."

I see you are of very low character and will twist your words to achieve greater standing in the smallmind of the boy named SmallTown.

 

[SmallTown]

No you didin't. On the first page you said, and I quote, "Even in the small town of roanoke, we had private bookstores that were actually bigger than a closet
And wow, even when books a million and BN opened, they stayed in business as well."

I see you are of very low character and will twist your words to achieve greater standing in the smallmind of the boy named SmallTown.

Yes, and had I been refering to Roanoke City, I would have said Roanoke City. I lived there for 22 years of my life, and still have most of my family there, so I would imagine I would know how it is there

You're so clever with words as well! Gold star for Animal!

 

[SmallTown]

awww boo hoo, ST doesn't like our bookstore

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</TD><TD class=alt1Active id=p784254 width="50%">Book Stores in St. Mary...</TD><TD class=alt2 noWrap>01-28-2005 08:15 AM</TD><TD class=alt1 width="50%">ST dribble</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Did you mean dribble, or drivel? I can somewhat see dribble being used, but wanted to make sure that is what you really meant. Could you please clarify so I know which one it is? TIA.

 

[mAlice]

Yes, and had I been refering to Roanoke City, I would have said Roanoke City. I lived there for 22 years of my life, and still have most of my family there, so I would imagine I would know how it is there

ST, you can paint it any color you want, but the fact remains that no matter where you are you will still be miserable, pathetic and lonely and you want to convince everyone else that they're just like you. Misery loves company.

 

[Animal]

Yes, and had I been refering to Roanoke City, I would have said Roanoke City. I lived there for 22 years of my life, and still have most of my family there, so I would imagine I would know how it is there

You're so clever with words as well! Gold star for Animal!

Okay, giving you the benefit of the doubt (I don't know why because after reading your postings for awhile I think you twist things around to make you believe you know something), I did a search for "Roanoke City, VA" and all I came up with is Roanoke, VA. This site ( http://www.city-data.com/city/Roanoke-Virginia.html ) classified it as a city too so check it out and then explain exactly where the Roanoke you refer to is.