As a secondhand book shop, the thing that really drives our business isn’t selling books—it’s buying them. That’s why we venture out almost every day—to houses, libraries, and storage units throughout New England—searching for good books and the occasional treasure. In today’s episode, we’re taking a behind-the-scenes look at our book buying process, from receiving phone calls and making appointments through appraisals, offers, and, if things go well, packing up the truck. These trips keep fresh books flowing into the shop, but they’re also a little adventure: we get to see new places, meet new people, and hopefully bring back a story or two for the podcast. Join us (and our 87 specifically-sized cardboard boxes) for a journey into book buying on this fully-stocked new #brattlecast.
Brattlecast #227 - A Typical Brattle Week
In this episode, we round out our day-in-the-life series by talking you through an average work week at the shop. This particular week’s treasure hunt took us on a tour of New England, from Concord and Cambridge to Maine and the Berkshires, and even into the chambers of a former federal judge. But it’s not really about the destination or the journey—it’s about the books we bought along the way: a haul including collections on art, history, architecture, woodworking, and much more, plus some decorative leatherbound volumes. Of course, the magic of the Brattle is that there’s no such thing as a typical week—whether you’re working or shopping, every day brings something new.
Brattlecast # 146 - Prepping a Book Collection
On today’s episode we’re answering a question from a listener: If you want to sell a large library, what can you do to prepare before Ken, or someone like Ken, comes to take a look? The good news is, we don’t really care how tidy or organized your shelves are, within reason—in fact, we’ve almost certainly seen much worse. Our top tip is to decide in advance what you’re keeping, and, if there’s anyone else with sentimental feelings about the collection, to involve them in the process from the start. Listen to learn more about book buying, and email info@brattlebookshop.com if you have any questions for Ken.