Ninive Bookstore

THE BOOKSTORE

Ninive bookstore opened few years ago in Verona. It is a little and cosy bookstore, specialized in books and games for 6-12 kids.

THE BOOKSELLERS

Ninive is managed by the owner of Jago edizioni, a little editor. The bookseller is an elementary school teacher. She has been writing poetry, organizing events for books promotion, an editor, a journalist and finally a bookseller. The idea of opening a bookstore belongs to the fact that she owned Jago Edizioni.

EDITORS AND DISTRIBUTORS

The first concept for Ninive bookstore was a store specialized in books on the territory, published by little local editors. The bookseller told me that this first concept and attempt failed because of the lack of willingness from her colleagues, the little, local editors.
Another attempt was with Codex as a distributor, but it failed. An other was with Logisma, trying to specialize on music and academic books about music but she said that the high specialization of the texts did not find readers. She is a school teacher, so she thought about specializing in pedagogy books. Soon she realized that school teachers do not have extra money to spend in pedagogy books. So she specialized on books for kids, even if the bookstore offers also second hand books, stationery, toys, cds, local products, narrative, and else.
She praises some editors for being supportive and highlights that others give unbearable conditions.
Little local editors do not seem to be willing to cooperate.
Talking with her I had the feeling that a human distributor would not be any different from an automatic one.

PROMOTION

The bookstore has a website. The website is likeable but, in my opinion, it does not communicate the identity of the library. Everything concerning the website is managed by professional and this leads to high costs.
Ninive uses a Facebook page. The Facebook page is useful for people looking for spaces where to hold presentations, but it does not seem useful to attract people who could join as  public.
The bookseller believes that all the channels used to promote the bookstore, both technological and not, like fairs, are good just to find people who want to sell her something, rather than people willing to buy something.
She tried to host art exhibitions but she says that artists prefer galleries to bookstores.

Local newspapers do not publish her press releases, plus advertising on local newspapers do not work.

RELATIONSHIPS

With Associations
She is part of associations as editor, not as bookseller, but she does not find them useful.

With other bookstores
She would be willing to meet other booksellers but she thinks that they would not be as willing as she is.
She keeps in contact with a couple of booksellers but just because of previous friendships.

With libraries
Again she has relationships with libraries as editor, giving her books to libraries or free.

With clients
The relationship with clients is built and kept thanks to the time that she has to dedicate to them.