Loved book shop for sale
The Book Tree on the market
SINCE April 2015, Ann Hewitt has been gently tending to The Book Tree, nurturing Toowoomba’s only independent book store into a consistently profitable venture.
But after five years running the CBD business and more than 20 years in the bookselling game, it’s time to sell up.
Mrs Hewitt said it had been a “very hard decision” to list the store for sale, but that with both she and her husband over the age of 60, it was time to reassess their worklife balance and spend more time with their children and grandchildren.
“My children have said to me, ‘oh mum, what are you going to do? You’ve been in books for 20 years’,” Mrs Hewitt said.
“And I went, ‘yes, I will miss it. But at the moment I’m missing out on lots of other things’.”
With a degree in literature, Mrs Hewitt said she had always loved books.
“I’ve always been a reader. And I just saw a gap in the market. There were no independent book shops when we came back to Toowoomba,” she said.
Prior to starting The Book Tree, she was the manager at Mary Ryans and before that started and ran another book shop in Charters Towers.
The shop has been on the market since just after Christmas.
Mrs Hewitt said the store hosted author events, had good accounts with schools, a loyal Facebook following and a strong mailing list.
“All the work has been done basically – the other thing to consider is we still have a year to run on our lease.”
“We think it makes a very attractive proposition for somebody – plus the main street position. It’s got a lot of things going for it.”
But in the event the shop doesn’t sell, Mrs Hewitt said they would not be closing.
The Book Tree has been listed for sale for $80,000 plus stock at value, and Mrs Hewitt said the business would ideally suit a partnership.
For more information, phone Bryan Gray at Picket Fence Properties on 0414 568 936 or bryan@picketfenceproperties.com.au.
FINAL WORD: If you were stranded on a deserted island, what book would you want to have with you?
“I’d have to read John Steinbeck again, I think. I love The Grapes of Wrath. So there, that would be my companion book to re-read again.”