Oakland's Laurel Book Store Seeks Business Partner

"Who Wants to Own a Book Store?" was the headline for the annual State of the Store address from owner Luan Stauss, owner of Laurel Book Store in Oakland, Calif., which is celebrating its "second anniversary in downtown and our 15th in Oakland."

Luan Stauss at Laurel Book Store:

"People love the store, and the most frequent question I get from customers in this age of e-books and mega-vendors is 'are you doing alright?' That's a complicated question to answer."

After a detailed response, she observed that the "numbers show that the store is on the right track and we have a wonderful, stable staff.... The potential for growth is great. And I am looking for a business partner to help take Laurel Book Store into the future--someone with ideas and the energy to make ideas reality. I hear so often 'I'd love to own a book store...' and wonder whether anyone is serious. I've been the sole owner of this wonderful store for 15 years and I am ready to have someone join me to make it even more amazing--to take it to the next level. If you're interested, please contact me directly....

"What I want more than anything is to have a successful, sustainable, growing book store serving Oakland and beyond. I want to continue hearing people say 'I'm glad you're here,' which is a powerful drug in one's work life. And I want to keep putting books into the hands of readers, and working with authors, teachers, librarians, and readers to build community together. Who's with me? And more important, what book can I get you today?"