Retail Wednesday

So last week we lost internet after a storm on Tuesday and it lasted just long enough that I couldn't post on Wednesday. Hence the lack of postage. (heheh not stamps...)

My room rearrangement is coming together and I can't wait to post some pics because I absolutely adore the way it came out! But sorting and organizing has continued to take up much of my free time.

Can you believe it's August already?! I certainly can't! School is way too close!

Anyhoo.

On to the awards!

Phone Freak Award:
Almost all of us at the bookstore are huge Harry Potter fans so we decided to do a special event and host Harry Potter's birthday party on July 31st. We dressed up and had all kinds of fun things planned for the evening. That afternoon we were getting a lot of questions about when and where it was going to be and what kind of stuff we would be doing.

I answered the phone for what I thought would be a standard event question.
Woman: I hear you have some event going on there tonight?
Me: Yes.
Woman: (sighs) So are you going to be really busy?
Me: Well, we're doing Harry Potter's birthday so we're expecting a lot of kids and their parents.
Woman: And how long is THAT going to go on?
Me: It starts at seven and will probably go at least an hour and people may stay around to browse after.
Woman: (exasperated exhale) Okay. Fine. (hangs up)

What book could possibly be SO important that you can't either put up with a small crowd as you come in get it and leave OR that it can't wait until tomorrow or the next day? Why do you have to call and get annoyed with me before you even know if there is going to be a crowd or a problem?

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HAHAHAHAHA

I Think You're Confused Award:

Every Tuesday and Thursday we have story time. Thursday afternoon, after story time is over, the moms usually herd the kids to the cafe where they buy them bagels or muffins or cookies, buy themselves some coffee or tea and they hang around at the tables chatting for another hour or so. This Thursday everyone was actually well behaved and the kids were being a little noisy, but nothing unreasonable.

I was at information when a guy about my age comes stalking out of the cafe with his laptop tucked under his arm.
"Where do I put a suggestion for changing the name of this place?" he asked.
I didn't respond because there is no way to answer a question like that.
"And I can tell you it won't be bookstore!" He barked a laugh and glowered at me. (yes. Glowered.)
I still didn't respond, just looked at him.
"It should be called a day care instead!" he said and as he marched past he continued. "I can never get any work done here. I don't even know why I bother coming."
I turned and said to his retreating back, "Oh, I'm sorry, but we're actually a store."
However, I don't think he heard me as he had already marched away in a huff attempting to find a quieter location in our STORE to do his work.

I don't have a problem with people coming in and working on their laptops or studying or whatever. I know we offer free wifi and I know not everyone has it at home. But really. Don't get annoyed that we actually have PAYING customers that are allowing us to stay open. If you want to read or work in quiet go home or to the library. /rant

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Daycare workers and Retail workers do have something in common.....

Cutie Patootie Award:
These are the moments that make everything worth while to me.
A family was shopping in the store consisting of a mother, 2 teenage daughters, and a son who was about 10 or 11 ish.

They had been walking around and browsing for quite a while and I kept passing them as I worked on my project. Finally, as I walked past, the mother told the boy to "JUST ASK."

So I turned and asked if there was anything I could help with. The boy said he was looking for a book that was called something like "How to Survivie Anything" and that it had metal corners and used to be on a display "before that Russian lady took over."

His mom and I exchanged puzzled glances, but then she started to chuckle and said it used to be on the endcap that now has our olympics books with a memoir of a Russian gymnast at the top.

We headed over to the computer and I tried searching the title, but none of the books that came up were right. They were all in the sports section so we headed over, hoping it would be there. It wasn't and the mom asked if he could remember the exact title.

He sighed in exasperation and said if he could remember the exact title he wouldn't just be wandering around hoping to find it.

I apologized that we weren't able to locate it and he was very polite, thanked me for my help, and I went back to my project. But is was bothering me, because I was sure we still had the book as we don't sell many of those types of titles. So I asked a coworker if she remembered the display and if she had any other suggestions for where the book might be. She reminded me that there are some survival books in home reference and I ran over to the section.

Sure enough! There it was: a book on survival with little metal corners. I grabbed it off the shelf and began weaving through the aisles to find the family. As I approached I held up the book and asked if it was the one he was looking for.

The boy's eyes completely lit up and he ran over, grabbed the book and said, "Yes! Oh thank you thank you thank you thank you" as he threw his arms around me in a giddy hug.

His sisters were exceedingly embarrassed, but he was simply overjoyed to have found the book he wanted and it was one of those times that make all the other annoyances worth while.

And the best part is that they actually bought the book!

Well that's it for this week! if you like YA books you should totally check out the YA blog hop of giveaways. Our Booksellers Without Borders NY blog is taking part and you could enter to win a signed book over there. But there are over 200 other blogs involved too so there are sure to be a ton of fun goodies available!