Job Description & Salary Information for an Independent Bookstore Manager

Independent bookstores sell novels and non-fictions books, and in some cases, periodicals and gift items, but are not owned by a national chain. An independent bookstore manager oversees all of the day-to-day activities within such establishments.

Function

The function of an independent bookstore manager is to ensure that the store is profitable by increasing sales as much as possible and keeping costs within budget.

Types

Some independent bookstore managers work for large stores, such as those on university campuses, while others work at smaller stores.

Responsibilities

Independent bookstore managers create employee schedules and hire, train, evaluate and discipline employees. The manager handles client complaints as needed, authorizes purchases of supplies or stock and motivates employees to make recommendations to customers and sell additional items in order increase sales.

Variations

In small bookstores, managers may be responsible for ordering books and deciding how and where to display them in the store. Larger independent bookstores may have buyers and merchandisers who make these decisions or who assist the manager in making them.

Education

Some employers will hire managers for an independent bookstore who have a high school diploma or GED with retail sales and supervisor experience. Others require applicants to have bachelor's degrees, preferably in business or marketing, though in many cases, the major is not as important as whether or not the manager has a degree.

Compensation

In December 2009, the average annual salary for bookstore managers was $44,000, according to Indeed.com.

References

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook, Sales Support Supervisors
• Indeed.com: Bookstore Manager Salaries