Currently bookshops generally have to do something else besides just sell books, internet sales go hand-in-hand with this and there are always other goods available at the checkout to entice you to spend a little more. Sometimes people combine a coffee lounge with the books although this brings all sorts of other challenges such as what to do when the customer has no intention of buying the book, takes it into the coffee lounge to read it and spills coffee all over it, but what if there was another way entirely.

I was having a chat on twitter a few days ago with some friends and one of them mentioned boutique bookshops, she wasn’t serious and was talking about bookshops which have a particular focus. So how would a beauty salon combined with books about beauty, chick lit or romance work? While they’re doing your hair you could be talking about books and be sold a book on the way out. There could be a package deal, a pamper session combined with a book or two so as to continue the pampering when you get home.

Of Science and Swords in Melbourne have exactly this arrangement. Their focus is on science fiction and fantasy and they have all sorts of goodies available besides just books. You can buy unicorn meat, tshirts, all sorts of Doctor Who paraphenalia and other exciting stuff focussed on the science fiction and fantasy books. It’s a haven for people like me.

I can’t help wondering what other combinations we could come up with. Romance would be easy despite those people who are closet romance readers. You could put in anything to do with hearts and love, including little heart shaped chocolates which are readily available near me. Then add in heart shaped pillows and those thingy whichies you use to make heart shaped patterns on your toast, I was given one many moons ago and never used it, can’t think why people think I’m romantic. Add in some roses, both real and fake and you’ve got it made.

A literary theme would be a little harder. Penguin released all sorts of goodies to go with their books so stocking those would be a must. They’ve got mugs, pens and teatowels, I’ve been given a Virginia Woolf teatowel in a cylinder. I’d be considering adding in anything people do while reading, including chocolates and muffins, tea and coffee, and also adding in long lasting versions of gluten free and caffeine free options of these items.

When it comes to non-fiction you can over specialise but I suspect that wouldn’t be a viable business model. Let’s take dinosaurs for an example. There are a lot of dinosaur books around and you could also put in dinosaur toys and copies, maybe even some real examples of dinosaurs for those with a little more money. You’d want to have your shop in a very good and cheap location as well as developing an extensive online model in order to survive, while there’s still good interest in dinosaurs I don’t think it’s enough for a whole shop.

Anyway, what are your thoughts? Can you come up with a business model for a specialist book shop? Can it possibly work?