We were lucky to catch up with Jesi Gutierrez & Celi Hernandez recently and have shared our conversation below.
Jesi Gutierrez & Celi Hernandez , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today One of the most important things we can do as business owners is ensure that our customers feel appreciated. What’s something you’ve done or seen a business owner do to help a customer feel valued?
Everyday we have the opportunity to serve our community which is pretty much the best part of our job!
Folx of all kinds of backgrounds and walks of life come into the shop, some shy, some charismatic and ready to share, regardless we try to make every single person feel at home, safe and welcome. Libélula is a place to be, maybe when someone doesn’t have anywhere else to go, or need to be anywhere else. We have quietly placed in our tiny store 9+ seats throughout the space to invite folx to sit if only for a moment to grab a book, share a story and just be.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers
Libélula began as a family dream, I (Jesi) come from a long line of readers, writers and storytellers so a bookshop has always been in our thoughts. Celi on the other hand grew up watching and learning through first hand experience what it takes to be an entrepreneur from her father who had a handful of different businesses during her childhood. We bring those backgrounds together to create the space that is Libélula
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
like so many at the beginning of the pandemic we had to shift sharply. I had lost my job in art & literacy education which had been my career for the last 7 1/2 years. I rarely imagined myself doing anything other than being in the classroom. With Arts and extra support in k_-12 classrooms being the first to go when budget cuts and the transition to online schooling occurred it meant I was out of a job. It was only due to this unexpected situation plus family support that made it possible for us to open the shop now. Plans change and sometimes for the best!
We’d love to hear about you met your business partner.
Celi and I met at a small local Book Shop in San Diego called the Upstart Crow. Unfortunately, it is no longer here, but it had a good run of 30 years. 10 years later and here we are still hanging out in bookstores.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.libelulabooksandco.com
- Instagram: libelula_books_co
- Other: tik-tok @libelula.books
Image Credits
Delana Delgado Jesi Gutierrez walk the block