YOUR LIFE
A bibliophile’s haven
Journalist and former magazine editor Ann Donald radiates an inner peace.
But then she does live in the picturesque village of Kalk Bay, and she is living her
fantasy of surrounding herself with books all day long.
by Shamil ah Pe terSen photos FrancoiS oberholSter
About Ann
KalKbaY booKS : 021 788 2266 • Fax 021 788 3550 • www.kalkbaybooks.co.za
Ann Donald has a love affair with
books, so it was natural for her to
cement this relationship. Her dream
had always been to have a job that
allowed her to read books and
drink coffee all day, hence owning a
bookshop was the perfect choice.
Unfortunately, her high-powered
job as editor of Woman’s Value and
then Fairlady meant she had to
keep her dream on the backburner.
But fate had other plans. In 2004,
she visited Sue McNaught’s Book
Cottage in Hermanus. Sue shared
her knowledge and, inspired, Ann
and a friend started drawing up
business plans and thinking about
a suitable business space. She was
in no rush though as her contract
with Fairlady was only ending in
December 2006. But fate played a
hand again. Things changed and
she resigned in October 2005.
Location
She took some time out to think
about what she really wanted to do,
and the idea of owning a bookshop
kept surfacing. Then, in August
2006, premises she had looked at
in Kalk Bay became available.
‘I had three days to decide. I knew
it was now or never. The building
needed lots of work. You couldn’t see
the ceiling and the concrete floor
had various levels, but what sold me
was the space and location.’
For most businesses, location is a
vital factor. Fortunately, this former
sailor’s bar is located on the busy
Kalk Bay Main Road, a key tourist
area with spectacular views of the
harbour across the road. This means
lots of international visitors, as well
as local visitors over weekends.
‘When I realised I was actually
going to do this, I drew up a very
basic business plan – more to give
myself an idea of what I wanted to
achieve than a financial plan.’
Humble beginnings
She opened accounts with book
publishers and suppliers, and
registered as a close corporation
(CC) and to pay VAT. Books started
arriving, but the shop was still in its
transformation phase. This meant
her home became the warehouse.
‘It was chaos – every available space
was filled with boxes of books.’
Personnel
She appointed a staff member to
help with the administration while
she became au fait with the finer
details of owning a bookshop.
‘When you walk into a bookshop
you take things, such as the way
books are displayed, lighting and
so on, very much for granted.’
Three months later Kalk Bay
Books opened its doors. Today Ann
employs a half-day bookkeeper,
three full-time staff members
(including herself), one permanent
weekend manager and three parttime staffers over weekends.
It hasn’t been all plain sailing
though. Her biggest challenge has
been learning how the system of
ordering and procurement works,
how many to order of each book,
and getting to know what her
clientele will buy. She has also had
to work out how many books to sell
to pay the rent.
Money matters
Ann had invested her money wisely,
which meant that she didn’t have to
seek financial assistance. But, she
says, it was a real leap of faith. ‘We
had no retail experience, but we
loved books. Money is always a
concern and cash flow is vital. With
a bookshop, your money is tied up in
stock. But some stock is supplied on
a sale-or-return basis (I can return
unsold books after an approved
period). And I didn’t pay myself for
the first 18 months – your staff and
debtors must take precedence.’
Today this quaint bookshop hosts
launches, sources books for clients
and does some trade online. But it is
also a gathering point where people
can mingle and talk about books
and their love of reading.
You have to be passionate about
your business.
Do proper research, and that means
more than just whether there is a
market for your business.
be patient. You’ll make mistakes, but
you’ll also learn from them.
attention to detail is critical.
January|February 2010 IDEAS 23
‘Having your own business is like having a baby – you don’t
sleep, you’re anxious, you make mistakes, but you just
carry on. It does not get better; it gets easier. But nothing
quite compares to being your own boss. I live by my own
standards and principles – and there is freedom in that.’
– Ann Donald
22 IDEAS January|February 2010