Blue Frog Books in Howell, Mich., which opened in 2014, has been put up for sale. Co-owners Penny Coleman and Robert Vedro described the move as "both a family decision and a monetary one. With the addition of a baby in our family, it has really stretched us thin.... Now for the good news! We have built a wonderful little gem in our community, and we are offering to sell the existing business with inventory and fixtures for someone else to continue on with. We hope we have shown how nice it is to have an independent bookstore in the area again, and, that someone will jump at the opportunity to walk right in and start selling books on day 1. However, if we do not get an offer right away, we will have no choice but to close the store."
Noting that they feel the bookshop "has great potential and, if allowed to grow, it will be a pillar of our community for generations to come," the owners said they "vastly over-estimated our first year sales estimates, as newbies tend to do, and with adjustment and a new plan for year two, it still was not enough to pay all the debts down and provide the level of inventory turnover needed to make this work for us, and for you. Now, we are faced with very tough decisions regarding our options and focus."
Nevertheless, Coleman and Vedro said "every community deserves a place like this. The customer base is still growing and we feel, with the passion from a new owner, and our help starting out, this business will thrive in a growing Genoa Township. We have a great new landlord with plans to open up the frontage, large 'anchor stores,' excellent parking, multiple exits, a traffic light for busy times, a very good maintenance crew, a good township and county to work with, a new hospital and other plans for the Latson exchange area, and everything in place for you to start tomorrow. Given everything we know now, we would stay here, if we could. We simply ran out of time. If you have ever dreamed of owning a little bookstore, do not hesitate, this could be your best chance."
For more information, contact Blue Frog Books at 517-552-6080.