{"id":557,"date":"2026-01-25T07:44:56","date_gmt":"2026-01-25T13:44:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/readersgottaread.com\/?p=557"},"modified":"2026-01-25T07:44:56","modified_gmt":"2026-01-25T13:44:56","slug":"interview-with-an-independent-bookseller-the-happy-book-stack","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/readersgottaread.com\/?p=557","title":{"rendered":"Interview with an Independent Bookseller: The Happy Book Stack"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

I recently had the pleasure of interviewing David Jacobs, owner of The Happy Book Stack<\/a>, an independently owned bookstore with locations in Middle Tennessee and Pleasant Grove, Utah. Every town deserves a bookstore like this, and David gave me a fascinating peek behind the scenes of running a thriving local bookshop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n

The Origin of The Happy Book Stack<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: What\u2019s the story behind your store \u2013 how did it begin?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

David and his wife started as resellers, first selling clothes and eventually books. With a college degree in English and a love for reading, David found it \u201cfun to sell things that you actually like.\u201d While teaching English to foreign students, he had the flexibility to thrift books and sell them online.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Around the time of COVID-19, the building that now houses The Happy Book Stack became available through David\u2019s church connections. Handling 10,000 pounds of books a week, he decided to open a brick-and-mortar bookstore, seeing less competition and more profit locally. Starting with just one employee, bookshelves they found on Facebook Marketplace and $5,000 in savings, David took a leap of faith, and it has paid off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\u201cI\u2019ve always been kind of really idealistic and try to lean into that with faith and not be reckless. But thankfully it worked out.\u201d \u2013 David Jacobs<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Q: What was the biggest challenge launching the store?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Managing a physical store and employees was new to David. He had to develop systems, train staff, and figure out how to promote the business. One key strategy: photographing new books daily and posting them on social media, allowing customers to see inventory in real time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

The Heart of the Bookstore<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: What\u2019s your favorite part about owning The Happy Book Stack?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

David loves how integrated the bookstore is in the community. Customers from within 30 miles provide inventory through book trades, and hundreds visit weekly. Families can stop by and find something for everyone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Post-COVID, the bookstore industry has seen a resurgence as people seek tangible experiences away from screens. David also partners with distributors to buy books inexpensively and keeps prices affordable. Additionally, The Happy Book Stack hosts school book fairs, offering students 5-6 books for the price of 2 at traditional fairs \u2014benefiting schools, kids, and the store alike.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: How do you decide which books to stock?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

David relies on past reselling experience and online sales data to determine book popularity. He ensures books in the store will sell quickly while appealing to a variety of readers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n

Reading Recommendations and Trends<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q: What books do you recommend most often?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

David has two main approaches:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. Movies to books:<\/strong> If someone loves a movie, they\u2019re likely to enjoy the book.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Genre and author recommendations:<\/strong> Fantasy fans get Brandon Sanderson or J.R.R. Tolkien; suspense lovers enjoy Freida McFadden. He also suggests customers consider reading lesser-known authors who may have great books, but they just aren’t a household name yet. And, his employees have great book suggestions too. <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Q: What trends have you noticed since opening?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n