Gary Frank selling The Booksmith after 30 years , (June 2006)

Gary Frank has been selling books since he was 17 years old. Now he's ready to sell his bookstore.

He met his wife at the UC Berkeley student-run bookstore, where they were both on staff, moonlighted as a mail-order book seller while employed at Macy's downtown, and, in 1976, opened The Booksmith on the 1700-block of Haight Street. Nine years later, he bought the building at 1644 Haight St., and has personally operated his independent, single-location business at that spot for the last 20 years.

Were someone to write a book on his life since, it would be, well, about books. And while he's enjoyed many happy chapters, he's looking for someone to take over the store.

Frank says The Booksmith made as much profit this past year as it did the year before, impressive for an independent book retailer in the days of Amazon.com and big-box chain stores, such as Borders. Frank admits it's harder to compete now that convenience is sacred, but notes Haight Street foot traffic and a litany of literary events (see schedule, bottom right) provide revenue streams that don't flow into online stores. And he credits his loyal customers for The Booksmith's ability to compete with the Barnes & Noble-type outlets; his regular shoppers help determine the carefully selected stock.

"At 3,600 square-feet, we're one-tenth the size of a super store. But people have confidence that we'll carry what they're looking for," said Frank.
He has no plans to sell the building, and says he would rent the space below market value to the right buyer in order to nurture the business. And he also says he's not interested in "lazing around and playing golf." Frank will seek out new business ventures––while holding a special place in his heart for The Booksmith.

"I want this store to continue," he said. "Books make a difference to people and bring joy to their lives. And book stores attract such wonderful, smart employees. It would leave a hole for a lot of people if The Booksmith closed."

Frank attempted to sell the store just over five years ago, but the timing proved less than ideal. The broker who he hired to find a buyer placed an advertisement in the Wall Street Journal–on September 11, 2001.
The resulting economic climate rained-out any chance of a lucrative sale, and Frank put his nose back to the grindstone.

"Looking back, I wasn't ready to stop," he said. "I've enjoyed these last few years."

Frank's decision to sell The Booksmith aligns with the current trend of independent stores going on the block, and coincides with the release of The Yellow-Lighted Bookshop, SF author Lewis Buzbee's romanticized account of the business. (Google SF Weekly's May 31 article "Bookstore Love," for more information on the memoir and the city-wide bookstore scene.)
Independent bookstores can survive and remain profitable parts of thriving neighborhoods, says Frank. But maintaining an online presence, booking and marketing literary events, and choosing a limited inventory from an exponentially expanding selection of written works requires a fantastic commitment from a small business owner.

Frank has run The Booksmith for 30 years with that level of dedication, and now wants to hand his baby to someone equally passionate about books.