When Jerry Bilek opened a bookstore in Northfield, Minn., last July, he
needed a name for the retail outlet. He has his 11-year-old daughter to
thank for coming up with the store's moniker, Monkey See Monkey Read.
The 1,000-sq.-ft., general interest bookstore stocks 10,000 titles and
is the culmination of eight years of planning by Bilek, who has plenty
of experience in the business. Prior to opening Monkey See Monkey Read,
Bilek's 15-year bookselling career included a stint at a Minneapolis
Borders and, most recently, as a buyer at the St. Olaf College
bookstore in Northfield.
Located 40 miles south of the Twin Cities, Northfield has 18,000
residents and four bookstores. In addition to Monkey See Monkey Read
and St. Olaf's, another area academic institution, Carleton College,
owns two stores--a campus bookstore and an independent bookstore
located in downtown Northfield, one block from Monkey See Monkey Read.
The space in the historic 19th-century building that houses Monkey See
Monkey Read was a used bookstore for more than a decade. When the
previous owner told Bilek he wanted to sell the store, Bilek advised
him on how he might go about it--until he realized that this might be
his chance finally to own open his own shop. Bilek purchased the prior
owner's inventory and closed the store for two months to remodel. "It
was crowded, and there were books stacked everywhere," said Bilek,
whose goal was to create a more "browser friendly" atmosphere.
Bilek reduced the inventory by a third and added seating. He purchased
bookcases on wheels that can be moved aside when the store hosts
events. Two small rooms have been converted into kids' areas, one for
children and the other for young adults. When creating the young adult
room, Bilek sought advice from his daughter on merchandise and décor.
Along with a selection of books and games, there is an ottoman, funky
lamps and a beaded curtain hanging in the doorway. Having a separate
area for young adults that is not part of a children's section has
helped make the store a popular after-school hangout.
Aside from changing the look of the store, Bilek modified the business
model. "I knew if I wanted it to work, I would have to make some
changes," he said. The previous owner indicated he was struggling to
stay afloat, and rather than follow suit and sell entirely used books,
Bilek stocks a mix of new, used and remainder titles. Standouts for the
store so far include Marley & Me by John Grogan, Truck: A Love
Story by Michael Perry, Sweet Land: New and Selected Stories by Will
Weaver and books by Minnesota writers Garrison Keillor and Louise
Erdrich. Bilek also sells books online, which accounts for a
significant percentage of the store's revenue.
Among the store's sidelines are DVDs (with a variety of foreign films),
Wild Republic stuffed animals and games. He bypasses popular games such
as Monopoly, which can be found at Toys R Us and Target, and instead
opts for lesser-known items like card games from Set Enterprises and
products from Gamewright, a company he discovered at BookExpo America.
An ample supply of manga titles resulted from customer requests, and
it's now one of the store's bestselling categories. Bilek also brought
in a display of poetry books by area publisher Red Dragonfly Press, an
example of how he strives to differentiate merchandise from that sold
by other bookstores.
Monkey See Monkey Read is located on the main street in downtown
Northfield, where neighboring businesses include an antiques store, an
art gallery and a coffee shop. St. Olaf and Carleton colleges draw
visitors to the area, and the town has an active chamber of commerce
that promotes Northfield as a tourist destination. An annual Winter
Walk extravaganza during the holiday season and a Crazy Daze summer
shopping event bring foot traffic to the retail district.
Each year in September Northfield holds a four-day fête commemorating
an infamous incident in its past--the "Defeat of Jesse James Days," a
re-enactment of the town's victory over the James-Younger gang when the
outlaws tried to rob the First National Bank in 1876. Now a museum
operated by the Northfield Historical Society, the former bank is
across the street from Monkey See Money Read. During the four days of
the event, said Bilek, his sales were steady. "But I was selling mostly
to people I don't usually see," he added. Regular customers avoided the
fanfare and chose to shop on different days.
Bilek has hosted a number of events since opening the store, among them
poetry readings with local Dragonfly Press authors and a children's
party for the release of Lemony Snicket's The End. He's planning to
hold one reading per month and is in the process of launching a book
club as a way to "draw new customers into the store." Bilek has
selected the novel The Bird Artist by Howard Norman as the club's
inaugural pick.
Bilek noted the importance of having a Web site as a tool to promote
Monkey See Monkey Read. "In this town a lot of parents come to visit
their kids at college," he said, and they like to research activities
ahead of time. Another outlet for marketing the store is a blog Bilek
has been asked to write for the community Web site www.northfield.org,
which will feature recommended reading and information about the
store's events. The blog is a way to connect with an audience, said
Bilek, "that I don't reach through advertising in the local newspaper
or that doesn't come into my store already."
Along with the three other bookstores in town, Monkey See Monkey Read
sponsors Northfield Reads!, a community-wide program that pairs a
featured reading selection with an author appearance. Fiction scribes
Lorna Landvik (Oh My Stars), Jane Hamilton (When Madeline Was Young),
and Cheryl Strayed (Torch) have all participated.
In his role as a buyer for the St. Olaf Bookstore, Bilek also purchased
titles for Carleton College's two outlets (although separate entities,
the colleges sometimes share costs for certain positions). He remains
on good terms with his former colleagues, who were, in fact, supportive
when Bilek announced his plans to open a bookstore. "They were very
encouraging," he said. "Everyone who knows me knows how passionate I am
about bookselling."--Shannon McKenna
Monkey See Monkey Read is located at 425 Division Street in Northfield, Minn., 55057; 507-645-6700; www.monkeyread.com.