The Weeds

Opening a used bookstore: November 2025—Stef breaks down the nuts and bolts of pursuing a commercial space: the Letter of Intent (LOI) with tiered rent, personal guarantees, required paperwork, P&L fundamentals, multiple revenue streams, and why cost of goods matters. Plus: her other business (a free parenting blog) and a sneak peek at the potential space. In this episode, I get into the weeds—the practical, unglamorous stuff you actually need to know when leasing commercial space. I have an LOI out on a space that's big, expensive, and has everything I need. I walk through why I structured it with tiered rent—a way to align my growth trajectory with the landlord's revenue expectations while protecting myself in Year 1 when cash flow will be tight. I also explain what a personal guarantee is (spoiler: it's terrifying but standard), and share the paperwork you need to have ready when you're seriously pursuing a property: financials, business plan, credit reports, references, proof of funds. The P&L (profit and loss statement) comes up again because it's the backbone of everything. I talk about why multiple revenue streams are critical to a used bookstore's survival—in-store sales, online sales, products—and how cost of goods and wholesale purchasing work in retail. The margins are thin, so every decision matters. I also mention my other business: ParentingwithGratitude.com, a free blog for parents. I do it for the parenting community, not profit—but I'm worried the potential landlords won't love hearing that I run a business that's intentionally unprofitable. We'll see. And for those who want to see the space I'm excited about, I have a reel that shows it click here. Current Book Count: ~9,000+ Sometimes the unsexy work is the most important work.  🐦‍🔥 Follow along as The Phoenix Used Bookshop continues to rise—subscribe to A Bookshop of My Own and get updates at phoenixusedbookshop.com.