“Verb” is defined as a word used to describe an action, state, or occurrence. “Read” (books), “share” (stories), and “connect” (communities) are such examples—and as of this year, they’re also the mission of a brand-new mobile bookstore based in Jonesboro.
“I’ve dreamed of owning my own independent bookstore since I was a child and first learned such places existed,” owner Sari Harlow said.
However, the risk and investment of owning a physical building kept that dream on the back burner. Then a friend of Harlow’s mentioned how a local coffee shop she loved started as a mobile unit.
That caused the wheels to start turning (pun intended).
The logistics of creating a bookstore on wheels forced her to pump the brakes on her idea, so Harlow came to the Arkansas State University ASBTDC.
“Reaching out to and working with the ASBTDC was a key step in making Verb Bookstore a reality,” Harlow said. “When I first approached the center, it was just a sliver of an idea.”
The A-State ASBTDC provided Harlow with several valuable resources, including market research to help her understand her target customer and the region. The center also connected her with another client who ran a successful mobile store and had plenty of wisdom to share.
Starting the business still required taking a leap, when Harlow heard that a nearby book shop was going out of business.
“We made an offer on their entire book inventory, it was accepted, and all of a sudden, we owned a bookstore!” Harlow said.
Verb Bookstore sells books and bespoke curated book bundles for every type of reader. Harlow is also working on an e-commerce website to make book browsing even easier.
Though still on the hunt for the right vintage camper or trailer, by spring Harlow plans to hit the road, completely mobile. As the state’s first and only mobile bookstore, Verb seeks to increase reading and connect communities, including those that do not have the population to support a local bookstore year-round.
“Beyond that,” Harlow said, “you’ll just have to follow along to see where the road takes us!”
Visit Verb’s Facebook page to learn more and keep up with the mobile bookstore’s journey.