Meet Kim, Old Town Books’ book buyer

If you’ve ever wandered into Old Town Books and found the perfect book, you have Kim, our adult book buyer and manager, to thank. Keep reading to get to know Kim and learn some of the ins and outs of what she does to keep us all stocked in books.

For those not familiar with how buying for an independent bookstore works, can you give us a big picture view of what your job entails?

Much of my time is spent putting together seasonal orders of inventory for the bookstore. This happens about four times a year when all the publishers put out their catalogues full of titles for the upcoming months. 

I spend LOTS of time going through each page, meeting with our reps from each publisher, and chatting about what they think we need in the store. Then I build what’s called a frontlist order of forthcoming titles that will slowly arrive at the store as the new books are released. 

Some of that work is done virtually. In person, I spend Tuesday mornings at the store putting out the new releases for that week so they are ready bright and early for shoppers! 

Kim in her element, on the sales floor among her many handpicked books! | Photo by Elis Llinares

I also do reorders for the store at least twice a week to bring popular books back in, to make sure we have enough stock of what we've been selling. I'm also in charge of changing out the displays in the store, although I often get help from the Old Town Books team with that task. And last but not least, I lead the charge producing our summer and holiday reading guides. 

What’s your favorite part of the buying process? 

I really enjoy putting together the seasonal orders, even though they are very time consuming. It’s so fun to see what new books are coming out! 

What are some trends you’re seeing in publishing right now? Are there particular genres, themes, or formats that feel especially buzzy?

Books with women falling in love with any thing/one but a human male, lol. 

Do you notice seasonal rhythms in what customers are excited about?

We always sell a lot of paperbacks around the summer, maybe because they are a little easier to travel with. We see horror and spooky books do well during September/October without fail. And seasonal romances are always in demand during the fall and holidays.

What new releases are you especially looking forward to this fall?

I just finished The Witch Roads by Kate Elliott for SF&F book club and I need the sequel ASAP. It’s out the first week of November and I’m so excited to see how Elliott wraps up the duology. 

I’m also really looking forward to Psychopomp & Circumstance by Eden Royce, it was supposed to come out earlier in the year but the date got pushed back. I can’t wait to read this gothic historical fantasy set in the south! 

Kim doesn’t always match the book she’s reading, but when she does… (This pic is from our photoshoot with our brand partner M.M. LaFleur, where we have a pop-up bookstore that Kim also curates.) | Photo by Elis Llinares

Are there any special editions, boxed sets, or collector’s items that you think our booksellers and customers will love?

Special editions have been having a moment in the last year or two and there are a few editions coming out this fall that I think will be big sellers.

Red Rising is getting a beautiful hardcover makeover, for one. Then the well loved classic, The Princess Bride will be re-released in a hard cover with sprayed edges. My personal favorite This Is How You Lose the Time War is coming out in a beautiful hardcover, too. These special editions make the perfect holiday gift!

Do you have a personal favorite upcoming title that you’re itching to handsell?

A lot of what I've been reading that releases later this year was for the gift guide, but one title I loved that didn't make the list and can't wait to handsell is Fate's Bane by C.L. Clark. This fantasy novella is dark and full of so much angst and longing between our main characters. And holy crap the ending! I can't wait for this one to be out in the world.

You’ve been with Old Town Books since the early days - how have you seen the store evolve?

That’s right, I started working with the store when it was just the small space down on South Union. 

Kim at Old Town Books way back when, on South Union Street.

I'm so happy I've been able to grow along with the store! It's been a privilege to be a part of the community this store has created. 

From book clubs, to events, to story times, and new release events - it's amazing to see the customer base and support the store has gained over the years. 

From our first author events in 2019 to today, Kim has supported the store every step of the way. We’re so grateful, this whole bookish community! | Photo by Elis Llinares

What’s something you’re really proud of in terms of how you’re buying for the bookstore?

I really want customers to come in and not only find the buzzy best seller they were looking for but to also have books that they have never heard of that sound so perfect for them they can't pass them up. 

I want to ensure we have a well curated selection because that's part of why people shop small and I feel like I've really been nailing that mix recently based on customer comments! 

It’s not just about the buzzy books, but we still stock those, too!

Tell me some about the holiday gift guide this year - what has that process been like? Any stand out titles you can give us a sneak peek of?

While the process has been similar to guide creation in the past I feel like we had to make some hard decisions on not having titles in every genre because there just wasn't a pick we were excited for and could get behind. 

Don’t zoom in! A sneak peek at the holiday gift guide in planning mode.

We want a list of books that we LOVE and sometimes the publishing world just doesn't deliver one in the window we look at and that's okay, but it's not always easy to move on!

In terms of a favorite: If you get our newsletter you’ll remember I talked about Dog Only Knows, which is one of my favorite titles on the guide. I'm also really excited for our memoir picks. We truly have a fantastic diversity of titles that will really have something for everyone, including The Uncool by Cameron Crowe and My Name Means Fire by Atash Yaghmaian.

What’s the hardest part of your job? What’s the best part? 

I think the hardest part is seeing the future! As I mentioned that the large bulk of orders I do are submitted on a seasonal basis. I can of course add more to our order as the release date gets closer, but it can be so hard to know if a particular title is going to blow up and sell tons of copies or if the five copies I bring in are going to linger in the store with no buyers for months. 

Besides gushing over books I love with customers and putting the right book in the right customers hands, the best part of the job is hearing how well curated our fantasy/sci-fi section is. Those are my favorite genres to read and I work really hard to create a diverse section that will have fan favorites alongside amazing titles customers might not have heard of. So when I hear compliments on the section I feel like I'm doing my job well!

Stay tuned for Kim’s next stack of great reading recommendations, the holiday gift guide! | Photo by Elis Llinares

You ARE Kim, you’re an amazing buyer and Old Town Books is so lucky to have you. Any final words for our readers?

Don’t forget to keep an eye out for our holiday gift guide. It’s going to be unveiled the week of November 4th. Come by the shop to browse the display, grab a brochure, and start checking items off your holiday shopping list for friends and family - and for yourself, too!