{"id":2158,"date":"2017-10-01T20:09:05","date_gmt":"2017-10-01T12:09:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mobilebookcafe.com\/blog\/?p=2158"},"modified":"2017-10-01T20:09:05","modified_gmt":"2017-10-01T12:09:05","slug":"bob-johnston-a-day-in-the-life-of-the-gutter-bookshop","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mobilebookcafe.com\/blog\/?p=2158","title":{"rendered":"Bob Johnston: a day in the life of The Gutter Bookshop"},"content":{"rendered":"<section class=\"header\">\n<hgroup>\n<h6>In the second of a series on how publishing works, Sarah Bannan talks returns, staff picks, bookclubs and sage advice with one of Ireland\u2019s leading independent booksellers<\/h6>\n<\/hgroup>\n<div class=\"article-top-area\">\n<div class=\"time-metadata \"><time title=\"Fri, Dec 11, 2015, 13:19\">Fri, Dec 11, 2015, 13:19<\/time><\/div>\n<div class=\"article-metadata \">\n<div class=\"author\"><span class=\"byline\">Sarah Bannan<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article_image image-carousel\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"responsive-img\" title=\"Bob Johnston: The industry has gotten much better at turning around quick reprints of popular books so we\u2019re never out of stock of popular books for long now\" src=\"https:\/\/www.irishtimes.com\/polopoly_fs\/1.2463111.1449839720!\/image\/image.jpg_gen\/derivatives\/box_620_330\/image.jpg\" alt=\"Bob Johnston: The industry has gotten much better at turning around quick reprints of popular books so we\u2019re never out of stock of popular books for long now\" width=\"620\" height=\"330\" data-tablet=\"box_620_330\" data-desktop=\"box_620_330\" data-mobile=\"box_300_160\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"selectionShareable\">Bob Johnston: The industry has gotten much better at turning around quick reprints of popular books so we\u2019re never out of stock of popular books for long now<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"article_body\">\n<div>\n<div id=\"share_gutter\" class=\"shareTools is_stuck\">\n<div class=\"addthis_sharing_toolbox\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.irishtimes.com\/culture\/books\/bob-johnston-a-day-in-the-life-of-the-gutter-bookshop-1.2463112\" data-title=\"Bob Johnston: a day in the life of The Gutter Bookshop\" data-description=\"In the second of a series on how publishing works, Sarah Bannan talks returns, staff picks, bookclubs and sage advice with one of Ireland\u2019s leading independent booksellers   \">\n<div class=\"more-tools more-tools--hidden\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"more-button--wrapper\"><a class=\"more-button social-icons-More\">\u00a0<\/a><\/div>\n<div id=\"atstbx6\" class=\"at-share-tbx-element addthis-smartlayers addthis-animated at4-show\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"at-57f45466-e1fc-4fb9-b206-6cb6abb5b735\"><span id=\"at-57f45466-e1fc-4fb9-b206-6cb6abb5b735\" class=\"at4-visually-hidden\"><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"at-share-btn-elements\"><a class=\"at-icon-wrapper at-share-btn at-svc-facebook\" tabindex=\"1\" role=\"button\"><span class=\"at4-visually-hidden\">Share to Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"at-icon-wrapper at-share-btn at-svc-twitter\" tabindex=\"1\" role=\"button\"><span class=\"at4-visually-hidden\">Share to Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"at-icon-wrapper at-share-btn at-svc-mailto\" tabindex=\"1\" role=\"button\"><span class=\"at4-visually-hidden\">Share to Email App<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"beacon\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"article_bodycopy\">\n<p class=\"no_name selectionShareable\"><em>Bob Johnston is the owner of The Gutter Bookshop in Temple Bar and Dalkey. He has worked as a bookseller for the past 26 years as is also Chair of the Bookseller\u2019s Association Irish Branch. When he\u2019s not selling books to other people, he\u2019s either reading or talking about books.<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"no_name selectionShareable\"><strong>You own and run two of Ireland\u2019s most beautiful and successful independent bookshops \u2013 the Gutter Bookshop in Cow\u2019s Lane in Dublin\u2019s Temple Bar and in Dalkey. What made you want to be a bookseller?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"no_name selectionShareable\">I\u2019ve always been a big reader : Mum sending me to bed early was always a treat for me as it gave me more reading time! I got my first part-time job in a bookshop when I was 16 and continued it on until I graduated, and then went full-time.<\/p>\n<p class=\"no_name selectionShareable\">That was over 20 years ago and I\u2019m still proud to be a bookseller. Like most people who start their own companies, I set up the Gutter Bookshop in 2009 after spending my days working for someone else and thinking \u201cI could do better than this!\u201d Of course, when it\u2019s your own money being spent it all comes a bit tougher. But it\u2019s still the best thing I\u2019ve ever done.<\/p>\n<p class=\"no_name selectionShareable\"><strong>What are your typical hours? And do you work any\u00a0<em>atypical<\/em>\u00a0hours?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"no_name selectionShareable\">Both shops are open seven days a week so there\u2019s not really any downtime. Typically I work six days a week with hours that vary from 9am-5pm to 8am-midnight if there\u2019s a festival on. I do try and take one weekend off a month so that my partner doesn\u2019t kill me. And I also work from home a couple of days a week now, which takes the pressure off slightly.<\/p>\n<p class=\"no_name selectionShareable\"><strong>How much do you get to read? And where and when do you do it?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"no_name selectionShareable\">I\u2019d be lost without reading. But it is much more work-related now \u2013 I facilitate five bookclubs a month so that\u2019s five books to read each month for starters. But I do try to get the bookclubs to pick books that I\u2019d like to read so that it makes it a bit easier. Most of my reading is done on the train in and out of work, but I always read in bed before going to sleep as well \u2013 it takes my mind off anything else that\u2019s rattling around.<\/p>\n<p class=\"no_name selectionShareable\"><strong>Do you stick to what you like to read, personally, or do you travel outside of that? And how important is it to read what you stock?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"no_name selectionShareable\">I read mostly fiction, with a few biographies and other non-fiction thrown in occasionally. I still try to finish a book if I\u2019ve started it, even if I don\u2019t like it, but in recent years I\u2019ve become more prone to just giving up if it doesn\u2019t hook me. All of our booksellers are big readers and whilst we haven\u2019t read everything we sell it\u2019s important that we can recommend books across a wide range of topics. Listening to customers and their opinions is equally as important.<\/p>\n<p class=\"no_name selectionShareable\"><strong>Do publishers or agents ever ask for your advice?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"no_name selectionShareable\">I used to be a buyer for a couple of chain bookstores (Hughes &amp; Hughes in Ireland and Blackwell\u2019s in the UK) and used to get asked my opinion a lot more in those jobs as you could influence a lot more sales.<\/p>\n<p class=\"no_name selectionShareable\">But as an independent bookseller I still get asked about cover designs and possible sales for lesser-known authors. And I still get asked for advice from small publishers on the best way to get their books into bookshops, even though they often don\u2019t like my answer (use wholesalers \u2013 you have to give them more discount but they\u2019ll help get your books into more bookshops. And grab any piece of publicity you can \u2013 sadly, having a book in a bookshop doesn\u2019t sell it, publicity does!)<\/p>\n<p class=\"no_name selectionShareable\"><strong>Okay, what\u2019s the first thing you do when you get into the shop?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"no_name selectionShareable\">Lights on, alarm off, kettle on for a mug of coffee. I\u2019m not a morning person so I need to warm into the day. Once we\u2019re rolling there\u2019s a stack of tasks \u2013 open till, reorder titles sold the previous day, Hoover and tidy the shop for the coming day, and answer any emails from the previous evening (people send enquiries at some very strange times).<\/p>\n<p class=\"no_name selectionShareable\"><strong>What usually happens on your lunch break?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"no_name selectionShareable\">If I\u2019m working in the shop I\u2019ll take an hour and go out for a walk and some air. It\u2019ll often involve something work-related like picking up a change order or lightbulbs or something else the shop needs, and I don\u2019t bring lunch to work as inevitably I\u2019d sit in front of the computer to eat it.<\/p>\n<p class=\"no_name selectionShareable\">And what\u2019s the last thing you do before you leave? Close down the till, run the end of day reports, alarm set and lights off. Inevitably I lock up and then remember something I haven\u2019t done so I have to go back in and write a note for the following day and then do it all over again.<\/p>\n<p class=\"no_name selectionShareable\"><strong>What makes being a bookseller a great job? And what\u2019s the thing you hate the most?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"no_name selectionShareable\">I love talking to people about books. I could do that all day, it makes me so happy. But as the owner of a small business I do have to spend a lot of time on the finances and admin side \u2013 it\u2019d be lovely to farm that out to someone else but I know I\u2019d still have to check everything to make sure the financial side was running smoothly so I accept it\u2019s something I have to do myself. It\u2019s no fun, though.<\/p>\n<p class=\"no_name selectionShareable\"><strong>Over the years, you must have seen some surprising hits and misses. Can you think of a title that was a surprise success? And can you name a few titles that you felt deserved to sell better?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"no_name selectionShareable\">Every Christmas there are always one or two books that surprise you. This year already we\u2019ve seen Irelandopedia by John &amp; Fatti Burke fly into a reprint and I\u2019m sure there\u2019ll be more to come. The industry has gotten much better at turning around quick reprints of popular books so we\u2019re never out of stock of popular books for long now. One of my great pleasures as a buyer was to find a great book by a small publisher and see the sales rocket by adding it to a promotion that we were running. In terms of the Gutter, we try to offer a slightly different selection of books from what you see in the chains, but we also have to pick books that will actually sell \u2013 we have very limited space so every book has to earn its keep!<\/p>\n<p class=\"no_name selectionShareable\">There are always misses \u2013 sadly we do \u201creturns\u201d every month back to our suppliers of books that just couldn\u2019t find a home. It is a bit sad. But such is the life of a bookseller. Our \u201cstaff picks\u201d section is a great way of drawing attention to books that we love but perhaps wouldn\u2019t stand out otherwise \u2013 \u201cstaff picks\u201d is always our bestselling section in the shop as people do love a recommendation.<\/p>\n<p class=\"no_name selectionShareable\"><strong>What are the upcoming books you\u2019re most excited about?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"no_name selectionShareable\">I\u2019m just finishing Beatlebone by Kevin Barry which is just out. It\u2019s fantastic and looks set to be my \u2018novel of the year\u2019! There\u2019s also a new Jonathan Coe novel called Number 11, which is a sequel to What a Carve Up! (one of my favourite books of all time). And it\u2019s not new but our classics bookclub has chosen David Copperfield by Charles Dickens over Christmas. I\u2019ve never read it so I\u2019m really looking forward to that \u2013 I do love a good Dickens at Christmas!<\/p>\n<p class=\"no_name selectionShareable\"><a href=\"http:\/\/gutterbookshop.com\/\">gutterbookshop.com<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"no_name selectionShareable\"><em>Sarah Bannan is the author of Weightless (Bloomsbury Circus)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In the second of a series on how publishing works, Sarah Bannan talks returns, staff picks, bookclubs and sage advice with one of Ireland\u2019s leading independent booksellers Fri, Dec 11, 2015, 13:19 Sarah Bannan Bob Johnston: The industry has gotten much better at turning around quick reprints of popular books<a href=\"https:\/\/mobilebookcafe.com\/blog\/?p=2158\" class=\"read-more\">Read More &#8230;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[10],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mobilebookcafe.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2158"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mobilebookcafe.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mobilebookcafe.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mobilebookcafe.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mobilebookcafe.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2158"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/mobilebookcafe.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2158\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2159,"href":"https:\/\/mobilebookcafe.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2158\/revisions\/2159"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mobilebookcafe.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2158"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mobilebookcafe.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2158"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mobilebookcafe.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2158"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}