Paz & Associates Offers Chance to Win a Bookstore Makeover

To celebrate its 20th anniversary, The Bookstore Training Group of Paz & Associates will award a bookstore makeover to one deserving bookseller. The chosen bookstore will receive free store design and merchandising services, up to $2,000 in materials and services for enhancements, a copy of the Paz staff training video “Bookstore Merchandising Made Easy,” and on-site assistance to finalize the project.

“Enhancing the sense of place is one of the most important ways to utilize a store’s inherent competitive advantage over online retailers,” said Donna Paz Kaufman, who founded the bookstore group in 1992. “Studies repeatedly show that how a store feels and the way in which merchandise is displayed can increase sales by as much as 500 percent.”

To be considered for the makeover, a bookstore must be an ABA member and have been in business at least 10 years within the U.S.; have an area up to 2,000 square feet of existing space that could benefit from a design makeover; be willing to provide any labor needed for painting, fixture placement, or other tasks; and see the project through from implementation to completion prior to October 15, 2012. The “before” and “after” story will be highlighted in an upcoming issue of the Paz & Associates’ e-newsletter, “Indie Bookstore Entrepreneur,” and will be shared with other book industry publications.

To enter, bookstores must complete a design questionnaire, available for download from PazBookBiz.com, and submit it along with photos and a diagram of the store’s current layout to Paz & Associates by July 4, 2012. A winner will be chosen by July 31, 2012. 

“Store makeovers have great outcomes,” said Paz Kaufman, noting that there are lots of design possibilities that are affordable and easy to implement — with amazing results. “We felt this offer would not only be a great way to celebrate our 20 years as champions of independent bookselling, but also a way to share some of the best practices we’ve learned along the way,” she added.

The Paz bookstore makeover team includes Donna Paz Kaufman on planograms and merchandising; Mark Kaufman on signage and messaging; bookstore architect and lighting specialist Elizabeth Dion; retail staging specialist Rob Berlin; and Ted Baylis of Franklin Fixtures.

To learn more, visit PazBookBiz.com.