Meet Jody Everett; owner of Bean Bag Books, wife, mother of 2 and total career flipper.
Prior to becoming a bookstore owner, Jody had been a Speech Language Pathologist in the school system for 10 years. She loved her local bookstore and began talking with the owner who kept dropping hints that she hoped the “next owner” would do X, Y, Z….
… Jody inquired: Are you selling?
Jody was not new to entrepreneurship. For the two years prior, she worked part-time for herself, under her own LLC, contracting her services and seeing private Speech and Language clients. But when the owner of that bookstore said “Yes,” that she was interesting in selling, Jody went right home to discuss it with her husband.
It took just that one conversation…
Five months later, she was the new owner. “It felt like a good transition and also a good time for a transition,” reports Jody. She was still able to use her training in literacy as a Speech Language Pathologist, but was now able to focus on the “fun parts” and leave the endless paperwork behind.
The name ‘Bean Bag Books’ was born out of her own children’s love of books, which were often lovingly read on- you guessed it- bean bag chairs.
(I will never not be able to look at her logo – two blonde little boys reading in bean bag chairs – and not smile after know this meaningful fact).
Jody and her husband, Michael, continue to this day putting their personal touches on their bookstore. Prior to their ownership, this bookstore had been around many years, a loved treasure in Delaware Ohio’s local community, boasting hand-picked books, toys and games.
Jody smartly and carefully took incremental steps towards making the beloved bookstore something more of her “own,” but never straying from what a quaint bookstore with a stellar selection should be.
You’ll even catch her kids at the store, helping scan and bag items and test out the inventory.
Jody credits her husband and parents as her biggest supports. Her husband has constantly been by her side. Her parents have helped with everything related to her children when late nights or conferences arose. Parent friends have helped with her kid’s drop offs and pick ups in order to make it all work. The past owner of the book store was also certainly a mentor, as well as another local bookstore owner who opened their independent book store just a year earlier.
Since their purchase in 2018, things have not been without their roadblocks and obstacles, taking a once pen-and-paper system to computerized, and re-vamping the purchase and ordering procedures in their entirety. Not to mention, learning a completely new industry and the wrenches that COVID-19 threw at them.
Currently, things are running smoothly, and although some supply issues from COVID do, and may continue, there is still plenty on the shelves to browse, purchase and love.
Bean Bag Books is strong and just as loved as ever before AND they have big news coming! The family has purchased the building that Bean Bag resides in, and will be undergoing a huge expansion in early 2022. They aim to be able to add more hands-on experiences and learning opportunities as well as local business collaborations.
This January 2022, Bean Bag Books will close their store front for a couple of months for construction, but will continue to offer online ordering through their website: beanbagbooks.com for pick up or shipping.
Keep a look out for all the exciting things Bean Bag has on their horizon. Keep supporting this caring and true family business with online orders throughout the construction and keep an eye on their website for all the details about the grand re-opening in early 2022!
Bean Bag Books
BeanBagBooks.com
Delaware, Ohio 43015
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