By Nancy Beltaire

Experts in business administration agree on qualities shared by successful, independent business owners: knowledgeable, conscientious, organized, energetic, courageous, and persistent. Nicola Rooney, owner of Nicola’s Books, passes muster on all counts. Located in the Westgate Shopping Center at the intersection of Maple and Jackson Roads in Ann Arbor, Nicola’s wonderland of reading and writing materials more-than-meets the needs of an ideal customer base which includes a well-read local community, seven colleges and universities, dozens of technical and trade schools, one of the largest public school districts in the state, and a growing list of preschools.

Born in Germany, Nicola’s early years resembled every child’s wish-list of adventures. As the daughter of an officer in the British army, her family moved from one exotic location to another (Malta, Hong Kong, Turkey), sporting a lifestyle that facilitated the development of Nicola’s creativity, resourcefulness, and ability to manage new environments gracefully.

In 1970 Nicola became the first woman to graduate from Cambridge in chemical engineering. After a dozen years of work in Liverpool, she emigrated to Canada on a work assignment (with her husband and two children in tow) and remained there until 1994 when changes in the marketplace resulted in the industry’s downsizing and lay-offs.

Nicola shopped around for a new career and found a perfect, albeit unlikely, match in Ann Arbor, Michigan —a Little Professor Bookstore franchise— that she purchased in March of 1995. When the franchise agreement expired in March of 2005, Nicola opted out and her store became Nicola’s Books.

Visiting Nicola’s Books is an adventure in itself. Around the store’s perimeter, readers can search through thousands of book titles conveniently organized into half-moon subject-area alcoves filled with easy chairs and benches. An incredible collection of newspapers and magazines composes another section of the store. A gift-shop area provides something-for-everyone purchases such as diaries, journals, greeting cards, and wrapping paper. Or one can mosey to an area resembling Edgar Allen Poe’s living room and examine potential purchases while relaxing comfortably on a sofa in front of a warm, crackling fireplace. A large children’s kingdom offers an extravagant collection of reading and project materials as well as a giant reading throne for parents to enjoy with their children. A nearby section for adolescent readers boasts the store’s fastest-growing collection, reflecting recent improvements in the book industry in terms of both the quality and quantity of reading materials available for young adults. The store is a perfect size, too —big enough to house an excellent selection, but not so big that you feel lost in a big box store environment.

Nicola’s Books is the ultimate in bookstore service, offering personalized assistance from carefully-selected staff members with over a hundred years of combined experience as professionals in the book-selling industry. To meet the goal of maintaining ten days of inventory, products sold are re-ordered using a computer algorithm developed by Nicola’s husband. Special orders can often be filled overnight and picked up at the store the following day, usually with no special shipping fees. To be prepared for rush requests, such as customers flocking into the store after one of National Public Radio’s book reviews, Nicola’s buyers remain alert and vigilant about Just-in-Time ordering.

When asked how her bookstore compares to online competitors, Nicola’s answer is direct and logical: “We have different business models; it’s like comparing apples and oranges. We can’t match their online prices, and they can’t match our services. We’re committed to our local market; they’re not.” In addition to maintaining a well-defined inventory that meets the needs of the community, Nicola’s Books supports local non-profits such as Washtenaw Literacy and sponsors special events and book signings.

Perhaps the underlying key to the continued growth and success of Nicola’s business is her aptitude for meeting the ever-evolving market demand by adding new and exciting products while sticking to the mission of her bookstore. Accordingly, her bookstore is not about cappuccino, tea, sandwiches, and baked goods. Nicola’s Books has to do with reading, writing, and the imagination.

If you have found this story interesting, informative, or inspiring, please let Nicola know! Nicola’s Books, 2513 Jackson Road, Ann Arbor, Michigan. (734) 662-0600, nicolasbooks@tds.net.

Nicola’s Books
Nicola
2513 Jackson Road
Ann Arbor, MI.
Phone: 734-662-0600
Email: nicolasbooks@tds.net