Today we’d like to introduce you to Stephanie Perry.
Thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I learned how to read when I was three, and haven’t put down a book since. I was frequently told by my teachers to STOP reading, as I would get my work done early and read whatever non-academic book I shuffled to class with. I feel like every bookworm has that little dream of owning a bookshop. I was more pragmatic than I should have been at a young age so I gave up that dream and in the third grade (yes… the third grade) I decided to become an accountant instead since I also liked numbers and financial stability.
Growing up, it was hard to find a book where the characters looked like me; a Black girl then, and a Black woman now. More often than not, the characters featured had “alabaster skin” or “skin like porcelain.” It was isolating to only see stories with white/non-POC main characters available. I believe representation is crucial; it allows people to feel validated and seen, and storytelling becomes even richer when various perspectives are being presented. Even now, it can be challenging to find books across genres that contain more than ‘struggle narratives’ featuring Black women. I wanted to create a space where I could ease that plight just a little.
So, Grumpy’s Bookshop was born. I detest the idea of the “always working, never sleep” hustle mentality but I also know that creating Grumpys’ was a fun and safe outlet to pursue my original dream of being a bookseller while being able to maintain my current standard of living by having my day job full time. The bonus is I get to connect with so many other local bookworms that I would not otherwise have met!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Absolutely not, lol. I’m lucky to have gotten a solid education from a business school so the start up mechanics of starting a business wasn’t too hard. However, I do struggle with design quite a bit. I like to say I’m creative, but I’m also very indecisive and have been called cheap. Coming up with marketing materials and website design was and still is a headache honestly. Even if I were to outsource, it would still be a pain because I just can’t make up my mind about design. I like so many things!
Another struggle is putting myself out there. I’m shy and naturally introverted. Not many people believe that but I get so nervous talking to people and I don’t like being a salesperson! It feels invasive, lol. I also have this very millennial tendency; I’m terrified of people seeing me TRY things. Showing effort has become so embarrassing but that’s a soapbox for a different day. It’s hard for me to plug my business into conversations out in the wild because I get so nervous to be seen attempting something I like to do. It’s an odd sensation truly.
As you know, we’re big fans of Grumpy’s Bookshop. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Grumpy’s Bookshop is an online secondhand bookshop that is heavily curated to carry stories centering on or heavily featuring Black Women/Black Femmes across multiple genres. I grew tired as a youth having only urban books to read if I wanted to read a book with a protagonist that looked like me. So I decided to create that space myself. I pick out every single book Grumpy carries and pride myself on having read the bulk of that selection. What I haven’t read, I’ve read the reviews of trusted Black Women bookworms I follow on my Bookstagram (@grumpybookwyrm). I hold their voices in the highest regard. That special sort of curation sets me apart from other booksellers.
I’m also just a one-woman show and I’d like to keep it that way. I don’t have brick-and-mortar aspirations at this time. I still very much enjoy my day job. But I like having something as small and personal as Grumpy’s. I respond to everyone who has connected with me at the pop-ups I attend on my Bookstagram and emails. I do the design of my materials, the research, purchasing, and procurement that goes into the titles I carry. It’s intimate and dear to me, and I don’t want to give up that feeling just yet. I believe people who interact with Grumpy’s can see that energy as well and appreciate it.
Besides the curated book titles, I’ve also started to offer Blind Dates with books, where they are books I’ve selected, wrapped up so a customer doesn’t know the title, and given keywords or phrases so they can explore the vibe they get. It’s so neat to see people respond positively to it! Also, I’ve been given the idea to attend dinner parties of sorts with a selection and sell there. Like a freelance bartender but with books? I’m interested in pursuing that for sure.
One last thing I intend to offer is custom book selections. For a fee, I would peruse through an individual’s public social media and based on their interests, select a book I think would fit for them. Sort of like a matchmaker of sorts? I’ve done it a couple of times for my friends and it seems to be a hit!
How do you define success?
I define success as accomplishing a goal I’ve set for myself.
Markers of success in this context; seeing someone enthusiastically speed walk to my display and gush about which books they’ve read, talking with people who may want to get back into reading and don’t know where to start, or people who want to purchase for a special person in their life and need advice on that.
Also, it’s so fulfilling when someone slides in my DM’s and tells me about the book they bought off of me; good review or bad I want to hear them all!
Pricing:
- $10 Paperbacks (including Blind Dates)
- $12 Hardcovers (including Blind Dates)
- $20 Individualized Book Curation (1 title)
Contact Info:
- Website: www.grumpysbookshop.com
- Instagram: @GrumpyBookWyrm
