Laying the Groundwork for Lofty Aspirations

At what point does the bibliophile evolve into a bookseller?

After all, they do seem to reside on the opposite sides of the spectrum, don't they?

The stereotype of a true collector is that of Hunter and Gatherer, systematically building up his hoard to the extent that the very foundations creak under the weight of each new tome added lovingly to the piles balanced precariously through out his home.

But the bookseller sees these things in an entirely different light, doesn't he? First and foremost a mercenary, he regards each little beauty that comes into his shop with the shrewd detached eye of a mathematician, his mind racing over the calculations of wholesale versus retail, less operating costs. If there is any love, then surely it must be a love of profit.

Happily, the above scenario is entirely fictitious. By all accounts, there is very little, if any, profit to be made from the sale of books, and this small fact quickly winnows out the "in it for a buck" types that dominate so many other retail businesses. Any person looking to make their fortune in this business is in for a rude awakening.

So why sell books?

While I can not speak for others, my motivation for the jump into the domain of the bookseller lies in the desire to be more often in the company of things cherished. Realizing a profit will be my goal, but only because it will allow me to both extend my time with these wondrous objects and add to the quantity and quality of my collection.

But perhaps the most exciting thing of all about a book lover/writer becoming a bookseller lies in the philanthropic ideal that each book contains a part of the person that wrote it.

By becoming a bookseller, it will be much like running an adoption agency - each discarded paper soul arriving at my doorstep unwanted and unloved, to be sheltered and protected until a worthy and appreciating new owner arrives to take them away. Not all will find its intended owner, but many will, and facilitating this process will be most rewarding.

And feeling that esoteric satisfaction will be important, as I'm quite sure there will be many frustrations along the way...