The Book Stall's Roberta Rubin Shares Secrets of Hospitality

Should you ever wander into the back offices of , you'd fall into a rabbit hole of literary delight. There are endless stacks of books flirting with gravity, while a handful of bookish bookkeepers tap away on computers and phones, calling out authors, titles and call numbers. 

You would inevitably find Roberta Rubin, owner of the 30-year-old bookstore that was recently named Publishers Weekly 2012 Bookstore of the Year. The Winnetka resident employs a simple idea: she uses her love of life substantiated through books to wield an impressive business in a time of uncertainty for print media.

"Books are friends," said Rubin, while ruffling through papers on her desk. "Books substantiate life. They make life valid; they make living valid."

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The success of Rubin's bookstore — indeed, she expects a 30 percent increase in business this year — rests on a simple equation: Be hospitable to books, people and life circumstances.

"We are one of the bookstores that really hand-sells," she explained. "We're not worried about market share, we're not worried about our presence in the world. We're worried about selling one book to one customer, and one at a time. I think that's why we've survived."

Rubin's emphasis on hospitable hand-selling lends itself to experimentation in the name of quality bookselling. In 1990, Rubin opted to buy computers rather than a second store, as other competitors were doing. In addition, the Book Stall stands out for a tradition of bringing in a wide variety of well-known and lesser-known authors in the past three decades.

"My mantra is to try something new," she said. "I'm interested in the creativity of new ideas; I try to listen to staff and get new ideas by any means."

For Jon Grand, floor manager, it's Rubin's willingness to take risks that makes the job meaningful. A former official for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Grand picked up the Book Stall job after visiting the store as a loyal customer.

"She is very demanding and I find that refreshing," said Grand, 65. "She has her own style and her own opinions and her own way of doing things. But she listens to what I have to say, and she will back me up on decisions. She gives me a fair amount of latitude."

Grand spoke of the "collegial" feel of the bookstore staff, in which employees could make the occasional mistake without fear of backlash. "There's no hesitancy here," he said. "We all want to do it right."

He added that he's learned from Rubin's coaching. "At my age, you don't think of needing that, but I suppose we all do. It gives you a sense of confidence and comfort in what you're doing."

According to Rubin, the consistent pursuit of learning is the quintessential take-home message of books and of her store.

"The printed word is where you live life, where you grow as a human being, and where you have a sense of generosity to human beings, to the world itself," she said.

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