Strength through diversity
Fort Smith shop survives by offering variety of products and services
Daron Letts
Northern News Services
Published Monday, February 10, 2014
THEBACHA/FORT SMITH
Small town book shops may be going the way of the dodo, but North of 60 Books is thriving after more than 20 years as part of The Rusty Raven Gallery and Gift. The secret to continued longevity is diversity, according to owner Laurie Young.
The Rusty Raven Gallery and Gift, which occupies the approximately 60-year-old building that housed North of 60 Books for about two decades, is scheduled to undergo an expansion this summer, according to owner Laurie Young. She still operates North of 60 Books in the venue as part of her diversified small business. - photo courtesy of Laurie Young |
"You have to diversify to make a living in a small town," she said.
For about two decades, the Fort Smith bookseller was operated by founders Ib Kristensen and the late Lillian Kristensen, and then Hillary and Neil Gauthier, before Young purchased the homegrown brand in 2011. Young transformed the business. She cleared out most of the bookshelves in favour of art and giftware displays, featuring local photography, carvings and garments from Dene Fur Cloud, and expanded the existing espresso bar.
"The espresso bar did surprisingly well. I had no idea it would be that busy," she said.
In her first year, she undertook a major renovation, installing new equipment and a small commercial kitchen in which she and her staff create fresh-baked goods for sale.
"I'm pretty lucky that I have a pretty talented family," she said, referring to her husband, Ron Fraser, sisters and brother, and brother-in-law and sisters in-law. "We did it in five weeks. I couldn't have done it without them."
Young also moved her home-based framing business into the approximately 304-square-metre venue.
She changed the storefront name to The Rusty Raven, but retains North of 60 Books as the name of her book-ordering service. She curates one bookshelf that she keeps stocked with Northern books and local authors, such as Richard Van Camp, Patty K. Hamilton, Sandra Dolan, Harold Steed, Libby Gunn, Dan Hillert and Helena Katz, among others.
Books published by southern authors that address Northern themes, such as bush plane pioneering, NWT history, naturalist texts and trail and river guides, also find a home there.
"E-books have taken over a big chunk of book sales. I love reading e-books, too, but I always have a paperback on the go, as well," she said.
Fortunately, many Fort Smith residents share that perspective, she said.
"We do lots of special orders on any subjects," she said, adding she deals with about 20 Canadian book distributors and publishers.
The historic wooden building dates to the 1950s, when it began life as a medical and dental clinic run by the federal government.
This summer, the building is scheduled to grow with a four-by-nine-square-metre addition to provide more space for the framing facility, Young said.
The Rusty Raven currently employs one full-time staff and five part-time staff. Young said she plans to hire a second full-time worker by fall.
"I've got the best staff ever," she said.
"Customer service is super important to us and I have just the nicest people here."
In order to remain interesting and relevant for her customers, Young shakes things up on the shelves as often as she can.
"Because it is a small town you have a small customer base and you have to keep things fresh for them," she said, adding about 90 per cent of her clientele live in Fort Smith. "Little towns need a small shop like this to keep them interesting to live in. I have some of my customers pegged. I know what they want."
