AT 190 Whatley Crescent Maylands, in a row of shops behind the noise and dust of the street and train, there’s a small shop door that invites you into a world of crime, murder and intrigue.
Sheila Rajan’s Crime Scene Bookstore is a passionate hobby that has developed into a successful small business operating opposite the Maylands train station.
After accepting redundancy from the Tax Office, Ms Rajan decided to do some careful research and open a bookstore specialising in true crime and crime fiction.
“It was after reading the book 84 Charing Cross Rd that I decided I wanted to have my own bookstore,” she said.
Careful planning and a conservative business plan seem to be the key elements to the Crime Scene Bookstore’s success.
“I worked in debt recovery at the Tax Office and I dealt with a lot of bankruptcy and liquidation, so I knew the pitfalls and the problems for businesses,” Ms Rajan said.
In a year where the introduction of the GST has severely impacted on many book retailers, the Crime Scene Bookstore has managed to break even.
“It’s been slower since July, but that’s not to say it’s bad, just slower,” Ms Rajan said.
For the first two years of business, Ms Rajan has set aside a capital expenditure fund to pay for new stock and the upkeep of the store. This fund allows Ms Rajan to successfully run her business.
