Sue Lynn is no stranger to challenges, having trekked Mt. Kilimanjaro
and the Grand Tetons. Her latest ambitious undertaking is the creation
of Confluence in Bellevue, Neb., which is holding its grand opening
celebration today.
A combination bookstore, bistro, wine bar and business center,
Confluence has what Lynn describes as a "home away from home type
feeling"--the kind of place that she often sought while traveling on
frequent business trips abroad during a 27-year military and civilian
career with the U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force.
"I want Confluence to become a community hub," said Lynn, who spent
years figuring out the kind of retail outlet that would work
best in Bellevue, an Omaha suburb with 63,000 residents. Another 30,000
people live on nearby Offutt Air Force Base (which has its own zip
code), where Lynn worked as a Russian expert and chief of legislative
affairs before leaving last December to pursue her new vocation. "I'm
turning 50 next year, and I told myself that if I were serious about
this, I had to get off the dime and do it," said Lynn, who earlier this
year attended the ABA's Winter Institute and the Paz & Associates
workshop "Opening a Bookstore: The Business Essentials."
Confluence's two-story, 8,500-sq.-ft. space has three fireplaces,
wooden tables and chairs, art deco leather loveseats, displays of
vintage fountain pens and cameos (some of which are for sale), and works
by local artists adorning the walls. Along with a bookstore and bistro,
there are two business centers with computers and printers. A
conference room has video teleconferencing equipment (adeptly hidden
behind panels unless in use), and folding doors allow it to be divided
into three separate areas. Rounding things out are two patios and a
spacious balcony, offering customers plenty of space to settle in.
Confluence's bookstore area is 3,500 square feet and features 16,000
general interest titles. Unusual touches abound, particularly in the
regional titles section, where the floor is constructed of wood from a
1910 Nebraska barn. The regional section is named Keiser Korner in
honor of the late George Keiser, a longtime area bookseller. Other
sections include "Planes, Trains and Automobiles" for children's books
and "Global Affairs" with language and travel resources and an array of
globes in a variety of sizes and price ranges.
The 1,800-sq.-ft. bistro and wine bar serves European-style fare such
as crepes and puff pastries. The wine list boasts a selection of
international vintages, and each month Confluence highlights a wine
from a Nebraska vineyard.
The store's sideline items are displayed in both the bookstore and
bistro and include high-end chocolate, gourmet vinaigrette, handcrafted
leather journals and products made by local purveyors--bookmarks,
wooden toys and homemade root beer among them. For business travelers,
there are travel accessories and electronic equipment like GPS systems
and memory cards for digital cameras.
After living in Bellevue for more than a decade, Lynn developed an
extensive Rolodex that has allowed her easily to create partnerships
with other organizations. "Bringing the bookstore into the community
has been my focus," said Lynn. "It's about talking to people, letting
them know what's available, getting their ideas and then putting them
to work."
One joint venture with a catering company allows Confluence to offer
box lunches, which Lynn has already supplied for executive meetings at
Offutt Air Force Base. She is also working with the Bellevue public
school district and Bellevue University. A university professor had a
hand in shaping the store's Spanish section, which will be the largest
in the metro Omaha area. A student from an African country reliant on
coffee production and enrolled in the school's business program will
have a six-month internship as an assistant barista in Confluence's
bistro, said Lynn "so he can learn the marketing aspect of coffees from
his country and others."
Even before Confluence's soft opening on October 22, Lynn co-hosted an
offsite event for Power to the People author Laura Ingraham. After
failing to secure a deal with either Barnes & Noble or Borders to
supply books, a local radio station sponsoring the event approached
Lynn one week ahead of time. Despite some nail-biting moments, Lynn and
her staff's first author appearance was a success--300 books were sold.
"It was fun and great training," said Lynn.
Confluence's second extravaganza is today's grand opening celebration.
Nebraska author Jonis Agee will be signing copies of her novel The
River Wife, and entertainment includes wine tasting, raffles benefiting the Bellevue Food Pantry and face painting for
kids. Upcoming events include Girls Night Out with Vicky DeCoster,
author of The Wacky World of Womanhood, and a Holiday Shopping &
Special Dinner gathering at which participants will feast on a
four-course meal.
The challenges continue. Should Lynn have time for a vacation next year after the excitement of
the holiday season subsides, she won't be opting for rest and
relaxation on a beach . She has her sights set on scaling Mt.
Rainier.--Shannon McKenna Schmidt
Confluence is located at 505 Cornhusker Road, Bellevue, Neb. 68005; 402-502-0906; confluencebookstore.com.