Page 18 of The Bookshop By the Loch

I gazed around myself at the dark walls and the rows of books, begging to be picked up and browsed through.

Trevor grinned at me in delight, which made me feel worse.

Had I thought about what I was taking on here? Twelve months to turn around the Marie Celeste – like Book Ends – and transform it into the thriving, colourful bookshop I remembered from years ago?

“So, let’s get started, shall we?” he said, clapping his hands.

“Yes, why not?” I grinned back manically, putting my bag behind the counter and fetching from it a notebook and pen.

Through the bookshop windows, the water of Loch Bracken glided this way and that, like an accomplished dancer showing off her moves in a silvery dress. At least the view was perfect.

First, I gestured to the array of books. “I suggest we have a fifty per cent off sale of any stock that isn’t selling so well. That’ll clear the way for us to bring in new books.”

I glanced down at my notes. “We can go through the stock together and have a big clear out. If we have this sale on for two weeks, we can then begin having the refit and revamp undertaken after that.”

I gave Trevor an encouraging look. “We need to make sure any books that aren’t selling within three months are returned to the publishers.” I pointed my pen at the bookshelves. “That’ll stop Book Ends from being clogged up with titles that aren’t performing and it’ll mean you won’t have to foot the bill to return them.”

I wandered around with Trevor, admiring some of the embossed book spines. “Once our discount sale finishes, we could give whatever books are left over to charity?”

Trevor was enthusiastic. “What a lovely idea, Lexie.”

I moved onto the next set of notes I’d made. I pointed to the generous bookshop space. “How would you feel about incorporating floor-to ceiling bookshelves that run right around here? That would modernise the space and show off the stock. Books sell themselves.”

I jabbed an excited finger at the additional space towards the back of the shop. “We could see how things go, but it seems a shame not to use that space too. Maybe we could run monthly promotions on certain genres in that area; arrange the books and have promotional material surrounding them; props and that kind of thing?”

Trevor nodded his approval. “That’s a great idea. It does seem a shame that all that space is going to waste.”

I glanced out of the curtained bookshop windows, my mind whirring. “Having the shelving that way will allow more space too, as well as more light to come in, and people will have a much better view of the books from outside. How would you feel about having the curtains removed?”

Trevor’s lips twitched. “I’m sure I could live with that.”

“That’s great. No distractions or anything obscuring the stock. Having a raised platform in the windows means we can arrange the books to their full advantage.”

I then mentioned to Trevor having white and grey signage made up for the shelves, identifying each genre and category. At the moment, it was rather slapdash and disorganised.

Trevor stuffed his hands into the pockets of his loose trousers. “Well, I’m sure it’d be a big improvement on what I have right now.”

“I think it would. And I was going to suggest we have the counter moved, so that it’s facing the street and customers are greeted by someone the minute they walk through the door.”

I delved one hand into my bag and produced my phone. I pulled up a colour chart. “I’ve been giving some thought to the decor too and I wondered about having the new shelves in white, with a soft dove-grey shade on the walls.” I pointed to the books racing along the current shelves around us. “Books are so colourful, that you don’t need to go crazy with bright paints. They speak for themselves.”

Trevor examined the grey shade on the paint chart on my phone and beamed. “I see what you mean. That’s very classy.”

I eyed Trevor. “Do you still wrap up books when they’re purchased?”

“Yes. I still use the black and white gift wrap.”

I recalled the bland paper from my years working here during the holidays. I hoped my voice sounded respectful. “What do you think about having a new Book Ends gift bag made instead and ditching the gift wrap? It could be a white bag, with Books Ends embossed on it, in a swirling, silver typeface and we could have white and grey tartan ribbon for the handles? It would match the new interior?”

Trevor considered this. “What a lovely idea.”

“Thank you. I hope all these suggestions are agreeable to you, Trevor.”

His mouth split into an optimistic grin. “You’re a revelation, Lexie.”

I blushed hot-pink. “Let’s just hope everybody else is as enthusiastic.” I then turned to my notes from last night, about ordering new stock. “We can make sure we’re signed up to all the publishers’ online catalogues, so that ordering is nice and easy to keep track of.”

Trevor gestured outside. “You seem to have thought of everything. Have you had any ideas about jazzing up the exterior?”