Long-Term Bookseller:

Once a Teacher, Always a Teacher
Contributed by Stephanie Hare, store manager and field training manager
Lynnwood, Washington

I began my life as a bookseller soon after I graduated from Willamette University in Salem, OR, in 1975. I went home to Minneapolis to pursue a career in teaching. Meanwhile, I thought, Why not work part-time at a bookstore? Within two weeks, I was selling books full time at the B. Dalton in Edina, MN.

As a fairly new bookseller, I learned that customer service goes both ways: we give to the customer and, often times, they give to us in return. One day, I assisted an elderly gentleman who was looking for books by Rex Stout. Up to that point, I had never read many mysteries. That first encounter with that customer led to a discussion with him about mysteries and Rex Stout. The customer found the book that he wanted and recommended one for me to read. We agreed to meet for coffee in a week to discuss our books and share other recommendations. That cup of coffee and conversation turned out to be the beginning of a wonderful friendship that I will always cherish.

Through the years, I have experienced several roles with Barnes & Noble and have grown both personally and professionally. In 1976, I moved back to the Pacific Northwest, and opened and managed my first B. Dalton store in Everett, WA. During the next 14 years, I opened three more stores in the Seattle area, and was one of the first managers to move to the Bellevue store, which was the first Barnes & Noble in the state of Washington.

In 1990, I found my true passion – training booksellers. I loved establishing processes into a system that I could teach. Over the years, I have worked with, and adapted to, a variety of learning styles. The one constant, however, is the ability to be a good listener.

In 2002, I became store manager of the Lynnwood, WA, store. And in July 2005, I took on the double role of store manager and field training manager.

My 30 plus years at Barnes & Noble have been a non-stop learning environment. I love the conversations I have daily with booksellers and customers, and I have always appreciated the progressiveness of our company. I want to encourage my fellow booksellers to embrace change. It’s part of our ongoing commitment to excellence, and it’s certainly the most positive way to approach our business. The ability to facilitate effective and productive change has always been at the center of what makes us so successful. As I look back, I must smile – I started my career as a teacher, and I’m still a teacher, only at Barnes & Noble.