News Photo by Kayla Wikaryasz On Friday, Chanda Stafford is seen updating her book-sales board. Stafford said that Parallel 45 Books and Gifts has done well in October and they are gearing up for the holiday shopping season.

ALPENA – Chanda Stafford, owner of Parallel 45 Books and Gifts, said she is already gearing up for the holiday season which is the second busiest time of year for the store. However, Stafford stated that to keep the store open, they have to sell 500 books a month year round.

As downtown Alpena prepares for holiday shoppers, Stafford said she’s encountered patrons who have already started shopping for Christmas. She explained that the busiest times of the year for the store are June and July, followed by the second-half of November and the full month of December. She added that this is the first year she’s put up Christmas displays in the store prior to Halloween.

At Parallel 45 Books and Gifts, patrons will notice a board near the cash register that tracks the number of books sold each month. Stafford explained that she started the board when patrons started asking what it takes to keep the store open.

“We crunched the numbers and we figured out as a baseline that is what we would need to keep the lights on,” Stafford said. “Not growing, not changing, like ‘We’re here.'”

She stated that the 500 books a month “allows us to be here.” That quota pays the rent, utilities, and payroll. For slow months, Stafford explained that the extra gifts they sell at the store — such as crystals, stuffies, and “3-D critters” — creates an alternative income for the store if they don’t make their 500-book quota.

Stafford said that creating the board to track the store’s book sales “invites discussion” and communicates to the community the benefits of choosing independent book stores, or indie bookstores, over big companies like Amazon, Barnes & Nobels, or Simon & Schuster to name a few.

Stafford explained that by supporting indie bookstores, money spent “goes back into the community.”

“We buy groceries. We buy things and the money stays here,” she added.

Stafford also explained that at indie bookstores, patrons get “personalized services.”

“We love to help you find books, or crystals, or 3D friends, or whatever,” Stafford said. “We love to help you find what it is you’re looking for.”

She added that employees at her store like to give book recommendations, as well.

“We love to help you and you’re not going to get that at a big box store,” Stafford said.

Stafford explained that Parallel 45 Books and Gifts carry books that “you’re not going to find” in corporate run book stores.

Kayla Wikaryasz can be reached at 989-358-5688 or kwikaryasz@TheAlpenaNews.com.