THE owners of independent bookshop Boffins have always done
things a little differently, with customers offered a wide range of titles of a
technical or specialist nature not available elsewhere.
So it was no surprise that, when it came time to ramp up the
store’s image, it was done in a way uncommon for the industry.
An all-of-store overhaul took place over nine days recently
and a very modern look, greater street presence and better lights are just some
of the benefits.
About 15,000 books were moved, while everything from the
bookshelves to carpet, to lights and counter tops were changed.
A new graphic design (featured on business cards, carry
bags, mailing material, and stickers) and store layout is aimed at keeping
Boffins contemporary, as well as attracting a new audience to the store,
according to co-owner Bill Liddelow.
“Our main market is technical people, so we had to appeal to
[a group from] programmers to business people,” he said.
“We’re not appealing to the literature market because we
specialise as a technical bookshop.
“We’re trying to reach out more to designers, photographers,
and fine art people.”
The computer books have been shifted from the new-look
mezzanine level, which is now filled with design and photo books.
But there are still the same number of computer, business,
science and other technical books in the store.
The redesign merely allows Boffins to better show off
attributes that were already there, Mr Liddelow told WA Business News.
Mr Liddelow, who has owned the store with business partner
Lou Pontarolo for 15 years, said the new bookshelves (which have wheels on the
bottom) could be moved easily to create a space for functions such as book
signings.
