The opening of Willow Bridge Books in Oakhurst, Calif., moved at least
one customer to near weeping. "Someone recently came in and said, 'I'm
so happy you're here,' " recalled Willow Bridge owner Monica
McClanahan. "She had tears in her eyes." The reaction might seem
extreme except for one thing. "We're a remote community," said
McClanahan, a Los Angeles native who moved to the area a year and a
half ago. The closest bookstore (aside from a children's bookshop and a
used books purveyor) is 45 miles away in Fresno.
Taken aback that buying a new book necessitated a 90-mile round trip, McClanahan revisited an idea she had 10 years ago. "I considered opening a bookstore then," she said, "but when Amazon got really hot I thought there was no way I could compete and put it in the back of my mind." Seeing a need in the marketplace was one motivation McClanahan had for opening a bookstore, along with a more personal reason. Recently retired from a career in information technology, she found herself "facing these long days with nothing to do." Not so anymore.
Willow Bridge Books held its grand opening celebration on June 30. The event included a ribbon-cutting ceremony courtesy of the local chamber of commerce, which made the store's opening part of its summer kickoff promotion. From April to October, the otherwise secluded Oakhurst area plays host to more than 1.5 million visitors. Some own vacation homes at nearby Bass Lake, but the big draw is Yosemite National Park. Willow Bridge is 10 miles from the park's southern entrance, situated in a shopping center that's a frequent stopping point for tour buses.
Other businesses in the highly-trafficked shopping center include a grocery store, a department store, a pizza parlor and a movie theater. Willow Bridge has 1,200 square feet of selling space, and in addition to books, it carries children's toys, greeting cards, candy from a local merchant and handmade bookmarks. The building's cathedral ceilings make for ample wall space, and on display (and for sale) are photographs, paintings and sculptures by area artists.
One of the store's window displays features books by local authors and another consists of regional interest titles. "Visitors are interested in Yosemite, the old West, the gold rush and cowboys and Indians," commented McClanahan. One of the store's top sellers is Exploring the Sierra Vista National Scenic Byway by Roger and Loris Mitchell, a guidebook published by Track & Trail Publications, a local press.
Willow Bridge currently carries 4,800 titles, mostly single copies until McClanahan has a better handle on customer demand. "My goal is to appeal to the tourist population, especially during the summer and also to carry enough interesting titles that local people will want to shop here," she said. The store is averaging 10 special orders per day, and popular choices are the canine-related reads Marley & Me and Cesar's Way, science fiction and fantasy titles, and cookbook and diet books. An "under $10" table at the front of the store--with books selected from USA Today's top 150 such as The Devil Wears Prada and Eleven on Top--has been a hit with vacationers looking for reading material.
In-store events include signings on Friday evenings with local and regional authors. Kids' night takes place the third Friday of every month and story time on Tuesday mornings. A book club held its first meeting in the store on August 8, and several customers have inquired about starting a writers' group.
Before opening Willow Bridge, McClanahan, who invested half of her retirement savings in the business after being turned down for financing, attended the ABA's inaugural Winter Institute as well as training sessions with Paz & Associates. The NCIBA put McClanahan in touch with a former ABA executive who worked with her to determine the best town in Eastern Madera County in which to open a bookstore, and for merchandising and marketing she enlisted the aid of an independent retail consultant.
"I did my homework," McClanahan said, and so far Willow Bridge has exceeded expectations. "My business plan called for doing $185 per square foot of selling space, and it's closer to $250. Of course, that was just the first month," she added. "There will be slow periods here when the tourism stops." The tourist season is integral to McClanahan's business, but she is cognizant of the importance of gaining a stronghold among year-round residents. It seems Willow Bridge Books is well on its way to, as McClanahan envisions, "fulfilling a real need within the community."--Shannon McKenna
Willow Bridge Books is located at 40015 Highway 49, Raley's Shopping Center, Oakhurst, Calif, 93644; 559-692-2665.
Taken aback that buying a new book necessitated a 90-mile round trip, McClanahan revisited an idea she had 10 years ago. "I considered opening a bookstore then," she said, "but when Amazon got really hot I thought there was no way I could compete and put it in the back of my mind." Seeing a need in the marketplace was one motivation McClanahan had for opening a bookstore, along with a more personal reason. Recently retired from a career in information technology, she found herself "facing these long days with nothing to do." Not so anymore.
Willow Bridge Books held its grand opening celebration on June 30. The event included a ribbon-cutting ceremony courtesy of the local chamber of commerce, which made the store's opening part of its summer kickoff promotion. From April to October, the otherwise secluded Oakhurst area plays host to more than 1.5 million visitors. Some own vacation homes at nearby Bass Lake, but the big draw is Yosemite National Park. Willow Bridge is 10 miles from the park's southern entrance, situated in a shopping center that's a frequent stopping point for tour buses.
Other businesses in the highly-trafficked shopping center include a grocery store, a department store, a pizza parlor and a movie theater. Willow Bridge has 1,200 square feet of selling space, and in addition to books, it carries children's toys, greeting cards, candy from a local merchant and handmade bookmarks. The building's cathedral ceilings make for ample wall space, and on display (and for sale) are photographs, paintings and sculptures by area artists.
One of the store's window displays features books by local authors and another consists of regional interest titles. "Visitors are interested in Yosemite, the old West, the gold rush and cowboys and Indians," commented McClanahan. One of the store's top sellers is Exploring the Sierra Vista National Scenic Byway by Roger and Loris Mitchell, a guidebook published by Track & Trail Publications, a local press.
Willow Bridge currently carries 4,800 titles, mostly single copies until McClanahan has a better handle on customer demand. "My goal is to appeal to the tourist population, especially during the summer and also to carry enough interesting titles that local people will want to shop here," she said. The store is averaging 10 special orders per day, and popular choices are the canine-related reads Marley & Me and Cesar's Way, science fiction and fantasy titles, and cookbook and diet books. An "under $10" table at the front of the store--with books selected from USA Today's top 150 such as The Devil Wears Prada and Eleven on Top--has been a hit with vacationers looking for reading material.
In-store events include signings on Friday evenings with local and regional authors. Kids' night takes place the third Friday of every month and story time on Tuesday mornings. A book club held its first meeting in the store on August 8, and several customers have inquired about starting a writers' group.
Before opening Willow Bridge, McClanahan, who invested half of her retirement savings in the business after being turned down for financing, attended the ABA's inaugural Winter Institute as well as training sessions with Paz & Associates. The NCIBA put McClanahan in touch with a former ABA executive who worked with her to determine the best town in Eastern Madera County in which to open a bookstore, and for merchandising and marketing she enlisted the aid of an independent retail consultant.
"I did my homework," McClanahan said, and so far Willow Bridge has exceeded expectations. "My business plan called for doing $185 per square foot of selling space, and it's closer to $250. Of course, that was just the first month," she added. "There will be slow periods here when the tourism stops." The tourist season is integral to McClanahan's business, but she is cognizant of the importance of gaining a stronghold among year-round residents. It seems Willow Bridge Books is well on its way to, as McClanahan envisions, "fulfilling a real need within the community."--Shannon McKenna
Willow Bridge Books is located at 40015 Highway 49, Raley's Shopping Center, Oakhurst, Calif, 93644; 559-692-2665.