We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Kelsey Black a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Kelsey, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear from you about what you think Corporate America gets wrong in your industry and why it matters.

Corporate America often misreads the nature of bookselling and indie bookstores, which are distinct from other consumer-driven industries. Here are some key things they often get wrong:
1. The Importance of Community and Experience
Corporate models tend to focus on efficiency, scalability, and margins, which can overlook the unique role that independent bookstores play in their communities. Indie bookstores aren’t just businesses; they’re cultural hubs. They foster relationships between readers and authors, and create spaces for events, discussions, and discovery that can’t easily be replicated by big-box stores or online retailers. The personal connection with customers—curating recommendations, hosting book clubs, or facilitating author meet-and-greets—matters. Yet corporate thinking often assumes that books are just products, not experiences or conversations.
2. Ignoring the Value of Curation
Big-box retailers and large-scale publishers sometimes try to offer as many titles as possible, pushing mass-market appeal, while indie bookstores focus on curated selections. Indie booksellers are often highly knowledgeable and passionate about books, providing a carefully chosen mix that reflects local tastes, niche interests, and diversity. Corporate America sometimes assumes the lowest common denominator (popular bestsellers or mass-market titles) will be enough, but they miss the value in offering specialized, unique, or lesser-known books that might not have widespread commercial appeal but are incredibly important to specific communities or genres.
3. Underestimating the Demand for Local and Independent Voices
There’s a growing desire among consumers to support local businesses, including indie bookstores. Corporate retailers often see bookselling as a low-margin business with limited potential for growth, leading them to underinvest in the category or try to standardize it to fit into their broader operations. However, consumers are increasingly drawn to indie bookstores not just because of their curated selections, but because they represent a local, independent, and human-centered alternative to impersonal corporate chains. By treating books as a commodity to be mass-produced and sold, corporate America often misses this emotional and cultural aspect of the indie bookstore experience.
4. The Power of Niche Markets
Indie bookstores excel in niche markets—whether it’s specialized genres, rare books, local authors, or a focus on social justice and diversity in publishing. Corporate bookselling tends to favor more general, mainstream titles that have mass appeal, but this strategy neglects the true range of human interests and passions. Readers who seek out indie bookstores are often looking for something more personalized or specific, whether that’s obscure works in a particular genre or books that speak to specific communities or causes. Corporate America’s focus on scalability overlooks the richness that comes with being small and specialized.
5. Online Sales Can’t Replace the In-Person Experience
While it’s true that online retailers like Amazon have reshaped the book industry, indie bookstores still offer something online cannot: the tactile, serendipitous experience of browsing. Corporate America tends to see this shift to online sales as the inevitable future and might not realize that there’s a deep, enduring value in the physical bookstore experience. Indie bookstores offer a kind of discovery that comes from browsing shelves, talking to knowledgeable staff, and attending events. These experiences can’t be reduced to algorithms or automated recommendations.
6. Overlooking the Resilience and Passion of Independent Booksellers
Booksellers, especially in independent shops, are often highly resilient, motivated by passion rather than profit. Corporate America tends to value businesses based purely on financial metrics, but indie bookstores are driven by a love of books and a desire to foster a community. Many booksellers operate on slim margins, but their value isn’t just in the dollars they bring in. It’s in the cultural capital they generate. Corporate America often misses the deep, intangible value of an independent bookstore’s presence in a community.
7. Not Adapting to Changes in Consumer Behavior
While corporations like Amazon have perfected the “instant gratification” model, independent bookstores have adapted in creative ways, such as by hosting events, offering book subscriptions, building online platforms that emphasize human connection, and engaging in social media to promote diverse voices and authors. Corporate America might underestimate the degree to which independent bookstores can still thrive by responding to the evolving needs of readers, whether that’s through social engagement or personalized recommendations. The corporate mindset often overlooks the nuanced ways that indie stores leverage both the personal touch and the convenience of modern technology.
In short, Corporate America’s approach to bookselling tends to reduce books to products or commodities, and overlooks the nuanced and deeply personal nature of indie bookstores, their role in the community, and their ability to cater to diverse tastes and niche interests. If corporate players understood and embraced the unique strengths of indie bookstores, it could lead to a healthier, more dynamic book industry overall.

Kelsey, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Kelsey, like many indie booksellers, opened her bookstore because of a deep passion for books and a strong desire to create a space that would foster connection, discovery, and community.

1. A Love of Books and Reading
At the heart of it, Kelsey opened her bookstore because she has a genuine love for books. Many booksellers are avid readers who want to share that passion with others. Books can be life-changing, and Kelsey felt that opening a bookstore was her way of introducing more people to the joys of reading—whether by recommending a beloved title, sharing an obscure gem, or helping someone find their next great adventure in the pages of a book.
2. A Desire to Build Community
Independent bookstores are often as much about community as they are about books. Kelsey saw her bookstore as a place for people to gather, connect, and engage in meaningful conversations. Indie bookstores have the unique ability to create a “third space”—a place that’s neither home nor work, but a comfortable, welcoming environment where people can relax, chat, and build relationships. Kelsey wanted to create that kind of space in her neighborhood, where people can find common ground through books, share ideas, and build connections that go beyond the transactional nature of typical retail.
3. A Response to Corporate Homogenization
Many indie booksellers open their stores as a response to the homogenization of big-box stores or online retailers that dominate the book industry. Kelsey was frustrated with the lack of diversity in book choices at chain stores or online marketplaces and wanted to offer something different: a carefully curated selection of books that speak to her community’s specific tastes, interests, and needs. By opening her bookstore, Kelsey gave voice to smaller publishers, underrepresented authors, and niche genres that big corporations often overlook.
4. Filling a Gap in the Market
Kelsey recognized that her community was underserved in terms of bookshops. There was a lack of independent bookstores in her area. She saw an opportunity to fill that gap and provided a much-needed service to her neighborhood—through offering a particular genre, hosting author events, and creating a more personal, welcoming place for book lovers.
5. The Joy of Curating and Sharing Knowledge
Booksellers are often great curators. Kelsey loves finding hidden literary treasures and sharing her discoveries with others. Opening a bookstore allowed her to express her personal taste and interests, whether that’s in particular genres, local authors, and even rare or used books. For her, curating a bookstore is a way to share her knowledge and passion with others—helping them find books that they might not have discovered otherwise, and acting as a guide in a world filled with an overwhelming number of choices.
6. A Desire to Make a Positive Impact
Many indie booksellers open their stores with a mission in mind: they want to create a positive social impact. For Kelsey, opening a bookstore was a way to support social causes she cares about—by hosting events that raise awareness of important issues, promoting diverse voices, or giving back to the community through educational programs, book drives, or donations. Books are powerful tools for change, and Kelsey felt that a bookstore was the perfect platform to amplify important conversations and inspire people to think critically, challenge the status quo, or engage with new ideas.
7. The Freedom of Being Independent
The decision to open an indie bookstore is often rooted in a desire for independence and creative control. Kelsey wanted to build a business on her own terms, rather than following corporate structures and restrictions. By owning her bookstore, Kelsey has the freedom to make decisions that align with her values, whether it’s the type of books she carries, the events she hosts, or the kind of atmosphere she creates. She gets to build a brand that reflects her personality and interests, offering her a sense of autonomy and creative fulfillment.
8. The Challenge and Adventure of Entrepreneurship
Opening a bookstore is no small feat—it’s a leap of faith and an act of entrepreneurship. Kelsey was drawn to the challenge of building something from the ground up, managing a business, and being directly involved in the operations of her store. She enjoys the process of curating inventory, interacting with customers, managing finances, and marketing her business. For many booksellers, the thrill of entrepreneurship is just as important as the love of books, this is very true for Kelsey.
9. A Place for Personal Expression
Lastly, Kelsey opened her bookstore as a way of expressing her own identity and vision for the world. The books she chooses to sell, the way she organizes the store, the atmosphere she creates—these all reflect her values, tastes, and personality. In a world that can sometimes feel impersonal and corporate, Kelsey’s bookstore is her way of showing the world who she is, what she believes in, and what she cares about.

Ultimately, opening a bookstore is a deeply personal decision that reflects a mix of passion, practicality, and purpose. For Kelsey, it’s a combination of these motivations—wanting to share her love of books, build a community, challenge the corporate status quo, and create a space that’s meaningful both to herself and to her community.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

Kelsey used her unemployment check from her former full-time job to start her bookstore. It is a compelling example of how she turned a challenging situation into an opportunity for reinvention.
Kelsey’s journey began with a major shift: losing her job at Google. A tech company job, with its perks and stability, can feel like a dream come true, so the loss was initially jarring. But instead of spiraling into uncertainty or focusing solely on the setback, Kelsey took a step back and allowed herself the space to process. She reflected on what really mattered to her, what passions she hadn’t yet pursued, and whether the corporate world—and all its pressures—was the right fit for her long-term happiness.
While many people might feel lost after such a loss, Kelsey found a moment of clarity during her time of unemployment. Having worked in a high-energy, demanding corporate environment, she was yearning for something more personal, more rooted in her values and her interests. Books—something she’d always loved—started to feel like a natural path forward. The idea of opening a bookstore had been a distant dream for years, but now, with the pressures of corporate life removed, she started thinking seriously about it. The unemployment check from Google, while certainly not a fortune, became a symbol of new possibilities. It was an unexpected cushion that allowed her to take the risk of pursuing something she had always wanted but never thought was financially viable. It wasn’t just a safety net; it was a launching pad.
Kelsey’s decision to use her unemployment check to start her bookstore was a strategic one. She knew that opening a physical retail store was a significant investment, but she had always felt drawn to the idea of creating a space that offered more than just books—it would be a community hub, a space for connection and conversation. She had already worked in tech, which gave her a good understanding of digital marketing, operations, and how to build a brand. Now, she could apply those skills to her bookstore and make it stand out in a crowded, competitive marketplace.
With her unemployment check as seed money, Kelsey started small. She didn’t launch a giant, expensive operation right away. Instead, she carefully mapped out her vision: she would find a space in an up-and-coming neighborhood, one that was affordable but had a lot of foot traffic, and she would focus on curating a unique selection of books. She also planned to host events, like author signings, book clubs, and readings, to build community and bring people in.
Kelsey understood that, in today’s world, starting a small business requires more than just capital—it requires grit, hustle, and resourcefulness. With her background in tech, Kelsey took a pragmatic approach. She picked up some freelance gigs, using her technical skills to supplement her income while the bookstore got off the ground. These side projects allowed her to stretch her unemployment check further without completely losing sight of her larger goal.
The initial unemployment check from Google might not have covered everything Kelsey needed, but it helped cover crucial early expenses: purchasing her first round of inventory, and investing in the minimal setup she needed to start. Kelsey scoured secondhand markets for furniture, used her network of friends to source discounted books, and relied on the creativity and problem-solving skills honed in the tech world to keep costs low. She learned to stretch every dollar and prioritize what really mattered—creating a welcoming space for her community and offering books she truly believed in.
Kelsey’s background in tech also gave her an edge when it came to marketing her new venture. With social media and digital marketing tools at her disposal, she could create an online presence for her bookstore even before it officially opened. She built a website, engaged potential customers on Instagram, and connected with local influencers and authors. She didn’t have the massive budget of a big-box retailer, but her online presence was authentic and personal, which resonated with the community she was trying to serve.
She also understood the power of community. Kelsey wasn’t just selling books—she was building relationships. By partnering with local organizations, hosting book clubs, and supporting local authors, she created a buzz around her bookstore that felt organic. Word of mouth and community support played a huge role in the early success of her store.
As her bookstore began to gain traction, Kelsey reinvested profits back into the business. She expanded her inventory, hosting more events, and improving the store’s layout and customer experience. Over time, the bookstore became a beloved neighborhood fixture. Kelsey found that her tech background, while different from traditional bookselling, gave her an edge when it came to adapting to changing trends and leveraging digital tools to improve the business.
While the initial unemployment check from Google was the catalyst, the real work came from Kelsey’s willingness to dive into the project, learn along the way, and hustle to make it all work. The store grew organically, bolstered by her deep passion for books and her drive to create a space that felt welcoming to everyone.
Looking back, Kelsey saw her unemployment as a blessing in disguise. It forced her to slow down, reflect, and reconsider her career trajectory. It was an opportunity to take a risk, pivot from the corporate world, and follow her passion. With careful planning, the right mindset, and a little bit of luck, Kelsey transformed what could have been a challenging setback into the beginning of an exciting new chapter—one where her bookstore became not just a business, but a dream realized.
Kelsey’s story becomes one of resilience, creativity, and entrepreneurial spirit. Her unemployment check wasn’t just a financial cushion—it was a tool for building something meaningful and sustainable, a bookstore that combined her love for books with a desire to create a lasting impact in her community. It’s a testament to the power of taking a risk and turning an unexpected challenge into an opportunity for reinvention.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

“Chaos marketing” might sound like an unconventional or even risky strategy, but when executed creatively and with purpose, it can be an effective way to build a memorable and engaging reputation—especially for an indie bookstore like The Book Burrow. Chaos marketing, by nature, thrives on disruption, unpredictability, and stirring up excitement. For a bookstore that wants to stand out in a sea of digital noise and larger competitors, it offers a chance to break through and make a mark in the community.
Chaos marketing often involves surprising, unexpected, or out-of-the-box campaigns that catch people off guard. By creating unexpected moments—whether it’s a surprise flash sale, a quirky event, or an unconventional promotion—The Book Burrow can spark curiosity and intrigue within the community. People start talking about it, wondering what will happen next. This “buzz” is the foundation of word-of-mouth marketing, where excitement spreads rapidly and people feel like they’re part of something new and thrilling.
Chaos marketing can help position The Book Burrow as more than just a bookstore—it becomes a destination, a place where something is always happening and where there’s never a dull moment. People start associating the bookstore with fun, energy, and authenticity. Indie bookstores often have to work hard to differentiate themselves from larger retailers or chains, and chaos marketing provides a way to highlight what makes our bookstore unique: it’s unpredictable, it’s community-focused, and it’s anything but corporate.
Chaos marketing can go hand in hand with social media campaigns that encourage followers to engage in creative, spontaneous ways. This level of unpredictability not only draws attention but invites our community to participate, interact, and share their own experiences. User-generated content, like photos, videos, and stories, are leveraged to spread the word about The Book Burrow far beyond its physical location. One of the core ideas behind chaos marketing is embracing the unexpected and turning it into a positive experience for customers. The Book Burrow can use this to highlight the idea that you never know what’s going to happen at the store, keeping people coming back for more. Whether it’s a pop-up book reading, an unannounced flash discount on certain genres, or a surprise “book swap” day, these off-the-cuff moments can solidify the store’s reputation as the place where exciting things always happen.
Chaos marketing isn’t just about the bookstore doing something crazy—it’s about inviting the community to participate in the process. The Book Burrow could create moments where customers are invited to make decisions about how the store operates or how it engages with them. This creates a sense of collective ownership over the bookstore’s identity, which in turn helps cement loyalty and strengthens the community connection.
The Book Burrow could use chaos marketing to run limited-time, exclusive events that are only available to a select group of people or for a short duration. This taps into the psychology of scarcity—creating urgency and excitement around a specific moment in time, or creating “FOMO”. These events could be unconventional or themed around popular culture, niche interests, or local happenings, making them relevant and memorable. Chaos marketing can be used to celebrate the wild, unexpected, and wonderful aspects of books. It’s a way to break free from the quiet, calm image that bookstores sometimes have and instead embrace a sense of playfulness, messiness, and unpredictability—just like a great story can surprise you when you least expect it.
Chaos marketing can extend beyond the bookstore itself by collaborating with local businesses, artists, and organizations. By mixing things up with other local creatives, you can co-host chaotic or unexpected community events that further embed The Book Burrow in the fabric of your neighborhood.
Chaos marketing helps The Book Burrow build a reputation of being dynamic, fun, and community-focused. By embracing unpredictability and celebrating the unexpected, you turn the bookstore into a lively, engaging, and memorable part of your community’s fabric. It’s a way to capture attention, spark conversation, and build deep, loyal connections—transforming The Book Burrow from just another store into a beloved institution where readers know they can always expect something special and out of the ordinary.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/thebookburrow

Image Credits

Edgar Brown, Former Bookseller