Confidential opportunity to acquire the only bookstore serving a year-round mountain resort community in Montana, with no competing bookstore within roughly an hour's drive. The store is profitable, growing, and fully systematized, with documented procedures and a roughly three-week ramp for a new bookseller, and it holds the strongest retail position on a walking Main Street in a destination town. It has grown revenue every year it has operated.
For the trailing twelve months the business produced $656,478 of revenue and $146,215 of seller's discretionary earnings, with a gross margin near 49 percent, and it carries no debt. It runs with two working owners plus one full-time and one part-time employee, and carries about 8,000 curated titles. Roughly 98 percent of book inventory is returnable to publishers for credit, which removes the obsolescence risk that usually discounts retail stock. A curated backlist of 250 proven titles, each selling more than 15 copies a year, transfers already identified, and purpose-built store fixtures made specifically for bookselling convey at $50,000 of fair market value in place.
Beyond the numbers, the store is a beloved, welcoming anchor in its community, and a new owner steps into that standing and goodwill from the first day. The asking price is $425,000 for the business, plus saleable inventory at documented cost of about $70,000, offered all cash for the business at closing. The owners also own the real estate, which is available separately for lease or purchase. Two to four weeks of owner training are included.
Clear growth is left for a new owner: online sales, in-house author events and institutional accounts each sit at or near zero today, and there is no active email or loyalty program on an already-loyal, half-repeat customer base. A strong fit for a relocating owner-operator or an existing retailer. A signed Non-Disclosure Agreement is required before any identifying detail is shared.
- Asking Price:
- $425,000 Furniture / Fixtures included
- Sales Revenue:
- $656,478
- Cash Flow:
- $146,215
Property Information
- Real Estate:
-
Lease
- Lease Terms:
-
$3,000/month
- Location:
-
A year-round mountain resort community in Montana, roughly an hour from the nearest city. Prime walking-Main-Street retail position.
- Premises Details:
-
The only bookstore serving its market, with the nearest alternatives about an hour away in a larger city. National online retail is the general competition; the store competes on curation, discovery and community, and the category has been growing. Online sales, author events, institutional accounts and email marketing are each near zero today, so each is a growth lever a new owner inherits.
- Size in square feet:
- 1,700
Business Operation
- Management type:
- This business is owner operated.
- Expansion Potential:
-
Online sales are near zero today, with a membership storefront available through the national booksellers association. In-house author events are declined most weeks. Schools, libraries and local businesses are not yet a channel. There is no active email or loyalty program on an already-loyal, half-repeat customer base. Each is a proven, low-capital growth lever a new owner inherits.
- Competition / Market:
-
The only bookstore serving its market, with the nearest alternatives about an hour away in a larger city. National online retail is the general competition; the store competes on curation, discovery and community, and the category has been growing. Online sales, author events, institutional accounts and email marketing are each near zero today, so each is a growth lever a new owner inherits.
- Reasons for selling:
-
Owners moving on to a new venture
- Trading hours:
-
9am to 5pm, seven days a week, extended to 6pm to 8pm in summer
- Employees:
- 2
- Years established:
- 2022
Other Information
- Support & training:
-
Two to four weeks, up to 25 hours per week, plus a clean handoff of ordering and vendor relationships
- Financing available:
-
All cash for the business at closing; a buyer arranges their own acquisition financing.
- Furniture / Fixtures value:
- $50,000 - included in the asking price
- Inventory / Stock value:
- $70,000
