The Crowded Bookshelf hosted a grand opening celebration on September 12 at 2519 S. Shields St., Ste. 1M, in Fort Collins, Colo. The Rocky Mountain Collegian reported that owner Renee Becher launched the bricks-and-mortar store after years of operating a pop-up bookstore and partnering with local businesses to set up temporary spaces.
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| Renee Becher | |
Becher began her bookselling career by working at both a local publisher and a bookstore. "I actually got a job at a local publishing house for a few years and then also got a job working at Old Firehouse Books in Old Town," she said. "That's kind of where I got my bookseller education.... I was there for about seven years and learned the industry. And then, when I left there, it was kind of that moment of, 'What else do I want to do?' And I was, like, 'I don't really want to do anything else. I want to keep bookselling.' "
In its earlier incarnation, the Crowded Bookshelf "gained attention thanks to its unique collection of content that focuses on more serious, mature themes," the Rocky Mountain Collegian noted, adding that Becher found the pop-up model taught her an important lesson about choosing her material carefully and thinking about the experience of her customers.
"The pop-up was a really good experience because it forced you to really think about what you were offering," she said. "I had people that would come up sometimes and say, 'This is actually kind of nice because some stores are so big and overwhelming.' "
Eventually, however, Becher realized it was time to expand to a more permanent location: "For about four years... I was going around to local breweries and makers markets and building a following. Last summer was when it finally hit, and I was, like, 'OK it's time to not move books every weekend. I just want to have a space. I want to be able to do more. I want to be able to offer more.' "
A successful $10,000 Kickstarter campaign has helped with the launch. "There were definitely people (who) were excited," Becher said. "It's kind of nice for the people that donate.... It makes them feel more involved in this thing that they're helping to support and create."