When Jennifer Anglin opened Enchanted Forest-Books for Children six years ago, she didn’t know much about retail. “But that has worked out to our advantage in many ways,” she says. “I didn’t know I couldn’t do stuff, so I did it anyway!”
What Jennifer possessed, however, was a love of books from her mother and a clear idea of how to pass that love to her young customers.
“We designed the store so that as children enter the door, they will think books are fun.”
Among other honors, the store received the 1997 Lucille Micheels Pannell award for excellence in children’s programs from the National Women’s Book Association. The store’s programming includes three to six events each month, including authors, costumed characters, parenting workshops, teacher education seminars and a summer camp.
“We have grown with them and they with us,” Jennifer says of her many loyal customers. “Strangers have become friends and friends have become family.”
Q: My advice to anyone trying to start a business is:
A: Go ahead and try: Just realize that owning a business is 365 days a year, 7 days a week, 24 hours a day for about the first four years – after that you can slack off to about a 6 ½-day work week.
Q: Someday, I’m determined to:
A: Get a citywide book festival established.
Q: My favorite quote is:
A: “The only difference between stumbling blocks and stepping stones is how you use them.”
Q: My greatest asset is:
A: I can “juggle” 19 projects/tasks at once.
Q: Most people don’t know I:
A: Was a regular on “Romper Room” as a child.
Q: The last book I read was:
A: I read “Time for Bed” by Mem Fox four times last night, and I am reading “The Secret Garden” to Claire while she has her bath.
Q: My perfect day alone would include:
A: Probably someplace that isn’t stroller-accessible with lots of pretty breakable stuff.
Q: The hardest part of running a business is:
A: In the world of books, it is hard for a small, family-owned, independent store to compete with chains that have huge ad budgets.
Q: The best advice I ever received was:
A: Go ahead and try.
Q: I love what I do because:
A: I can make people happy or help them find an answer to a question or problem. I love it when we find the perfect book for parents to read to their child – the children enjoy not only the story, but the time that they are spending with their parents. That is the most rewarding part of my job.
Q: Life is too short to:
A: Not stop and play with your child.
Q: By the end of the year, I hope to:
A: Continue to grow, despite another chain opening up nearby.
Q: I’m not afraid to:
A: Say what I think. (Sometimes that gets me into trouble!)
Q: Businesses succeed when:
A: You provide a valuable service to your community. We are so thankful to loyal and supportive “friends of the forest” who have made us a neighborhood store.