Meet Cate, Old Town Books’ general manager

At Old Town Books, there’s always something happening - events to plan, books to shelve, stories to share. At the center of it all is our general manager, Cate, whose path to the bookstore is as dynamic and surprising as any given day on the job. From nearly a decade in the restaurant world with José Andrés to jumping in as a seasonal bookseller, Cate has been an integral part of Old Town Books. Those who have met her know she brings hospitality, heart, and a willingness to “wear all the hats” to everything she does.

In this interview, Cate shares how she found her way to OTB, what it really takes to run an independent bookstore, the thrillers she’ll never stop recommending, and why she hopes everyone who walks through our doors leaves feeling like they’ve just discovered their new favorite place. 

Can you tell us a little about your path to Old Town Books and how you became our general manager?

I actually started my career in restaurants, and spent almost a decade working for José Andrés, initially as a pastry cook, then as a sous chef, and eventually in operations and IT. Any time I was having a rough day I would tell my work friends “what if I just went and worked at Old Town Books instead??” When the company restructured and my role was eliminated I suddenly found myself job hunting with absolutely no idea what I wanted to do. One day I was on instagram and saw there was going to be a job fair at Old Town Books and applied and was hired as a part time seasonal booksellers. Within a few months I was full time and then the GM, I’ve been here for two and a half years now!

What does a typical day look like for you, and what parts of the job still surprise you?

I think the thing that still surprises me is that there is no such thing as a typical day for me, and that is what I love the most! Sometimes I start my day thinking I’ll be working mostly on the floor or doing admin in my office and by the time I leave I realize that instead I’ve moved and anchored shelves for our backstock, fixed the internet (and usually also the Sonos), utilized my arts and crafts skills for an upcoming event, attempted to fix our outdoor furniture, and played with puppies. I joke that I wear all the hats, but this job is truly a mix of people management, IT, HR, facilities management, and anything else that may pop up on a day-to-day basis.

What do you love most about working in an independent bookstore?

Of course I love being surrounded by books all day, but I really love all our amazing loyal customers. I love our regulars who I get to talk about books with, and seeing new books come out and thinking “oh, this would be perfect for this person!”

What’s something customers might not realize goes into running the store day to day?

I think the biggest surprise is all the non-book related tasks I do on a daily basis and the logistics I have to work out. Sometimes that is investigating city trash and parking ordinances, or where we can store all the extra bags and boxes, and some days it is figuring out where the best place would be to set up the tattoo and piercing pop ups where they can have access to outlets and good lighting.

How do you think about creating a welcoming experience for everyone who walks through the door?

Coming from the hospitality world I always want to make sure customers are happier when they leave than when they entered. This often means tailoring the experience depending on what they are looking for, some folks want to talk about all the books they are reading and leave with a stack of books picked specifically for them, while others want space and to just soak up the vibes of the store. Either way, we make sure everyone can find exactly what they want or need out of their visit.

How has working so closely with books changed the way you read, or what you choose to read?

One thing I’ve done since working here is try to expand the genres I read. I’m much more willing to try out a book I wouldn’t normally pick up when it comes highly recommended by one of my colleagues. I also have leaned hard into the audiobooks (thank you Libro.fm!) since working here. I used to listen to podcasts at work and in the car and now I always have an audiobook going. I’ve also figured out the key to audiobooks for me is to increase the speed to force myself to pay attention.

Do you have a go-to recommendation you love giving, or a book you find yourself talking about again and again?

I will NEVER stop handselling The Sanatorium by Sarah Pearse. It is a perfect thriller, and one that is lesser-known, so even the typical thriller fan hasn’t read it.

What’s on your nightstand right now?

Right now I’m simultaneously reading the new Lisa Jewell - It Could Have Been Her, The Secret Lives of Murderers Wives by Elizabeth Arnott, The Vacationers by Emma Straub, and I’m listening to How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates by Shailee Thompson and The Radium Girls by Kate Moore. I also have Tiger v. Jack by Bob Harig in my purse to start this week. Wow, that sounds chaotic, but I guess that’s the life of a mood reader??

Old Town Books hosts many events. What makes a bookstore event feel special or successful to you?

I think the thing that makes an event feel extra special is when attendees leave feeling a special connection, either to the book or author at an author event, or to other customers at one of our community events. From the business side I think a successful event is one that runs smoothly (we didn’t have to call parking enforcement for our reserved spots, no kids cried at the character costumes or Santa, the author and moderator both arrived on time and have good chemistry, etc) and has “good vibes.” You can feel when an event is going well and everyone is enjoying themselves.

Is there a recent event or moment at the store that really stuck with you?

We had an event with James Ponti in the Fall that was supposed to also be with Jason Reynolds. Unfortunately Jason had a family emergency and had to cancel last minute. Watching Melissa step up last minute to moderate, and the rest of the team pivot our game plan and help set expectations with folks who were attending was amazing, but the truly incredible part was watching James Ponti interact with all the kids who lined up to meet him and get their books signed. He genuinely cared about what every single kid had to say and truly listened to their ideas and suggestions and had some of the best anecdotes to share. You could see how impactful the event had been to so many of the families as they left and how it will set so many of those kids up to be lifelong readers and book lovers.

How would you describe your approach to managing and supporting the OTB team?

Whenever I think about managing, I think about Tina Fey’s memoir. She talks about how so many people thing being a boss means walking around swinging your arms and saying “I’m the Boss!” Yet, an effective boss is actually working together with the team. So I try to make sure I’m jumping in to support the team where I can, whether that is setting up chairs for an event or alphabetizing special orders.

What do you think makes the Old Town Books staff so special?

I think the most special thing about the team at Old Town Books is how much we all enjoy working together. No matter who is working the floor I know they are a human I want to spend time around, and talk about books with. I also love that everyone brings their own unique perspective to the team.

What’s something you’ve learned about leadership since stepping into this role?

I feel like I’m always learning more and getting stronger as a leader, and our team has grown so much in the time I’ve been here. I’ve learned about the complexity involved in managing a larger team with so many roles, especially when they are new-to-us roles. Sometimes we don’t know what a position will look like until we have someone in it, and that takes some patience.

What are you most excited about for the bookstore this year?

I’m really excited for our Summer Reading Guide this year! We are reading for it right now, and I already have some books I can’t wait to get into people’s hands. I’m also beyond excited to spend Indie Bookstore Day hanging out with Frog and Toad.

If someone is visiting Old Town Books for the first time, what do you hope they feel when they leave?

I hope they feel like they just spent time in their new favorite place. Old Town Books was my happy place long before I worked here, and I hope that it can be that for many others too.

What do you do outside of work, outside of reading, for fun?

I’m a super homebody, so I’m often on my couch with the tv on and working on some kind of craft or art project, or a puzzle or Lego, and when I’m lucky also enjoying some puppy snuggles from my parents’ puppies.

What would you suggest someone try if they’re wanting to get more into reading? 

Try a new format! Audiobooks are my current favorite format because they work with my brain! I find when I try to read on my phone or Kindle I don’t retain the story the same way, so I default to audio or physical and it makes reading a way more enjoyable experience.

How many books do you read a year, and how?

I average about 150 books a year, which feels wild. But I also primarily listen to my books, and I listen at double speed, which helps me listen to a lot more. Listening at double speed is how I actually get myself to pay attention to the audiobook and not let my mind wander. I’m also usually listening to a book at work if I’m not on the floor or in a meeting. I also always have a book (or three) in my purse, so anytime I’m out and about with time to kill I have something to read.