Three Story Tellers Bookstore in Occoquan Closes

After three years in business in Occoquan, bookstore will close its doors permanently on June 29.  The closing was preceded by two weeks of discounts on their entire merchandise. The sale is still going.

The bookstore specialized in award-winning and culturally diverse literature for children and teenagers, and featured books by local authors and illustrators.  Educational games, toys, and puzzles rounded out their stock.

Established in 2008 on Poplar Alley by three friends, Kendall Holbrook, Carmen Lofton, and Robin Phillips, Three Story Tellers moved to its present location at 304 Mill Street in 2009.

“Closing was a combination of time constraints—not being able to dedicate time to the store—and the economy in general.  People aren’t buying books from small independent bookstores when they can get deeper discounts from large retailers.  We also had limited exposure to clients in Occoquan.  Part of the equation was the location,” Robin Phillips said.

Phillips further explained that the Poplar Alley store was difficult to access due to its second-floor location.  Mothers with infants in strollers and customers with physical challenges were better served at the Mill Street location, she added.

Kendall Holbrook noted that although their revenues increased on Mill Street, they found it difficult to juggle full-time careers with the demands of the bookstore. 

“Occoquan is a seasonal location,” Holbrook said.  She also discussed the town’s impact on their business by saying that while the Occoquan Merchants Association had been helpful in promoting the store; ultimately, customers did not shop on certain days.

Three Story Tellers’ business hours were limited to Friday through Monday.  “We had tried being open on more days, but those days did not bring in additional revenues, especially when we had to pay an employee to be here.  We didn’t break even,” Holbrook added.

Even when Nickelodeon’s Parents Connect website designated Three Story Tellers as the best bookstore for children in the Washington, D.C. area in 2009, Holbrook said the award improved their visibility but not by much.

Phillips said the women loved their years managing the bookstore.  “We are entrepreneurial spirits,” she said, noting that she loved their partnership with local authors and offering an array of good books to children.

Donna Merchant, one such local children’s book illustrator, said, “I wish the owners the best of luck in their future endeavors and truly appreciate the support they gave me over the years by selling my books.”  Merchant was first contacted by Holbrook in the fall of 2008 to do a book signing on Halloween.

Some patrons expressed disappointment at the store’s closing.

“It’s very sad, especially since they sell so many quality books,” Nancy Michaels, White Oaks Elementary School librarian, said.

Three Story Tellers was an enchanting place for Lorraine Spates, who began working at the bookstore in July.  “Three Story Tellers feels like home.  I did the story hour and the crafts.  I learned to do so much more with my own children by researching activities for the store,” she said.

Spates also facilitated birthday parties, in addition to the bi-weekly story and craft hour, and a Spring Break Camp, which included crafts, history-related projects based on the American Girl series, and lunch at the Pink Bicycle Tea Room.

On Saturday, June 11, Three Story Tellers had a day-long extravaganza in the form of two separate parties:  a three-hour open house Farewell Party, followed by a four-hour American Girl’s Night Out, which celebrated the opening of the American Girl Place in Tyson’s Corner.

To accommodate stock liquidation, the Three Story Tellers’ business hours have been modified on the following days: June 27-28, 10:30 a.m. -6:30 p.m.; and June 29, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Customers are entitled to incremental savings based on their total purchase amount.  A purchase of $10 or more earns a 10 percent discount, whereas a purchase of $150 or more receives a 50 percent discount.  Additionally, spending $25, $50, or $75 warrants respective discounts of 20 percent, 30 percent, and 40 percent.