Gulf Coast Bookseller Meets With President Bush

Hurricane Katrina, which devastated much of the Gulf Coast just two years ago, inspired one community member to open an independent bookstore in the town of Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. Kay Gough founded Bay Books in September 2006, shortly after the first anniversary of Katrina's destruction of one-third of the housing stock and virtually all of the commerce in the tiny coastal town, widely known as an arts center. Gough's commitment to reviving the business environment of "Old Town" Bay St. Louis, and to operating a successful retail shop, drew the attention of White House staff. She was recently asked to offer comments on reconstruction progress and was invited to participate in a small group meeting with President Bush to commemorate the second anniversary of the hurricane's landfall.

Bay Books owner Kay Gough and her son, Edward.

On Wednesday, August 29, Gough was part of group of about 12, including Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour and other elected officials and five townspeople, who met with the President to discuss rebuilding efforts. Gough told BTW that she and others at the meeting emphasized the need for legislation that would make insurance readily available to businesses trying to rebuild.

"[The issue of affordable insurance] is what I talk about every time I have the opportunity," she told BTW, explaining that so many deals to start new businesses have been cancelled because of lack of adequate insurance.

Gough was also mentioned by President Bush at a press conference Wednesday. Noting that Gough's bookstore was one of the first businesses to open on Bay St. Louis' Main Street after Katrina, the President called her an example of entrepreneurial spirit combined with civic duty, as reported by Mississippi's Sun Herald.

Some progress in rebuilding Bay St. Louis has definitely been made, Gough told BTW. "When we opened we were one of three businesses on our block, five more have since opened. We lost about 30 percent of our housing stock; about 10 percent is back." But, she added, "we're all disappointed that progress has not been faster."

Bay Books is located in the "Old Town" area of Bay St. Louis, formerly the historic shopping district. The 100-year-old building, which houses the 1,000-square-foot shop, survived the storm, but needed complete renovation. Of the original building, Gough said, only the tin ceiling remained intact.

Immediately after the hurricane, Gough began working with the Chamber of Commerce to set up seminars for residents with representatives from the Small Business Development Center (SBDC). "We were introducing people to available resources," she said.

"I realized after a while that I wanted to help my community by becoming personally involved in retailing. Susan Daigre had been a committed bookseller here before, with a very devoted reader base," she said, referring to Bookends, which Daigre closed following the hurricane.

With a background in corporate communications and administration, Gough sought help from the Chamber of Commerce and the SBDC to form a workable business plan. "We are committed to operating profitably," she stressed, "and we are meeting our sales goals."

Along with her son, Edward, who is now working full-time in the store, Gough undertook a crash course in bookselling. She studied ABACUS "religiously" and attended ABA's Winter Institute in Portland, Oregon. "We really didn't know anything at first," she said with a laugh. "How do you get books? What point of sale system do you use? -- Everything."

She began preparing to open the bookstore in May 2006, and opened Bay Books just four months later.

The store features a prominent display of books about the hurricane and its devastation. "We have a table near the front full of books about it," Gough explained. "Thousands of volunteers have come here to help, and so many of them want to take back a record of what they've seen. They know that others won't believe it -- nothing prepares you for this."

At her meeting with the President, Gough presented First Lady Laura Bush with a copy of Letters From Katrina: Stories of Hope and Inspiration (Growing Fields), which was signed by local school children.

Gough said that she "looks forward to the day when [books about Katrina] are not a big part of our sales."

Last year's big sellers at Bay Books included cookbooks, especially for the holidays. People who had lost all their cookbooks and recipes in the floods, wanted to recreate their traditional dishes, Gough explained. People came in during the holiday shopping season determined to "shop local."

Children's books, puppets, and puzzles sell well, Gough said, as do regional titles and general fiction. Book Sense titles are prominently displayed.

Scholastic character Geronimo Stilton with two Americorps volunteers at a Bay Books community event.

Bay Books hosts about two signings a month, featuring mostly regional authors. The store held a 50th birthday party for The Cat in the Hat to benefit literacy programs; "Reading Cats and Dogs" to raise funds for the Friends of the Animal Shelter; and a midnight party for the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, which attracted several dozen people. Gough told BTW that she never imagined that many people would show up. She reiterated that two years ago, half of the town was washed away.

When asked if she was tired as being referred to as "spunky," Gough responded, "No. When I run out of spunk, I'll have to give up and go home... From this terrible tragedy, some wonderful things have happened -- in here we can see books, feel books, and talk about books." --Nomi Schwartz