By opening Seven Stories, I didn’t just create a place to sell books, I built a sellable experience. Something that draws in a wide range of people and gives them a reason to come back.

In a world full of big box stores and online alternatives, indie bookstores can get pushed out of the picture.

Right now, as I prepare for Indie Bookstore Day (which is huge for shops like mine), Amazon is running its “Amazon Book Sale”—offering 80% off books for an entire week, conveniently timed to overlap with Indie Bookstore Day. For them, books are just a loss leader.

But what they can’t copy is experience. No online sale can beat what indie shops offer when it comes to community, connection, and creativity.

At Seven Stories, we host book clubs, birthday parties, and after-hours shopping events. We give personalized book recs, swap stories, and always make time for conversation. We show people that shopping locally isn’t just about buying a book. It’s about being part of something real.

This morning, as the Youngest Bookseller, I sat down for a phone call with Ms. Janet, who’s formally recognized as the Oldest Bookseller.

She said something that really stuck with me:

“When people say they want to give back to their community—no they don’t. What they want is to give back to the future development of their community.”

I’ve never heard it put better, and it’s exactly how I feel.

Between the bookmobile and the shop, I’ve spent the last seven years staying rooted in philanthropy. Seven Stories actually grew out of the Paws Up KC Bookmobile, which has been running for five years and gives out thousands of books each season (May through October). While the bookmobile and bookstore are separate, they often work hand in hand to source discounted, gently used titles to be given away in the community at no cost.

I also organize over a dozen events each year at the shop, many of which feature local organizations, raise awareness, and collect donations.