The imdiate problems we faced in revitalizing the bookstore were twofold:
Attracting custors and managing inventory.
While increasing custor traffic and sales by modernizing the bookstore and stocking comrcially popular books was achievable, it alone was not sufficient.
Additionally, managing the malignant inventory was an issue.
The bookstore inherited by Tang Hwarin was one that Tang Hwarin’s maternal grandfather had maintained at a status quo for 50 years. As a result, a book inventory that had accumulated over 50 years was overflowing.
The bookstore had beco a massive book warehouse after 50 years of operation.
The first floor was filled with comrcially viable books, and efforts were made to organize and sell off the malignant inventory. However, it was impossible to dispose of all the inventory.
The remaining stock ultimately had to be moved to the second floor.
Tang Hwarin suggested using the second floor as a warehouse, but I had a better idea.
A way to organize inventory while attracting more custors.
“What in the world…”
Upon reaching the second floor, a person resembling a scholar was looking around in surprise. Understandably so. This structure would be a first in this world.
“It’s odd to find this upon coming up to the second floor of a bookstore. Isn’t this a bookstore? But there are clearly books here.”
I looked around, following the gaze of the bewildered scholar.
Like an ordinary bookstore, bookshelves filled the walls, with nurous books placed on shelves inside. However, the atmosphere changed when looking towards the window.
Desks were arranged in a row on a long table, with plush chairs in the corner. Turning towards the entrance, a long counter was in sight, with tools for brewing various teas placed against the counter wall.
Books and tea.
Anyone modern would imdiately recognize what this place was.
“This is a ‘Daseogak’ (Tea Book Pavilion).”
A book café. The identity of the renovated second floor of my bookstore.
“Wow! I saw you at the entrance. Are you a clerk?”
The scholar, startled by the voice from behind, flinched and turned to look at .
“I am the manager of this bookstore.”
I was different from an inn manager! It was different! I introduced myself to the scholar with a relaxed expression.
-You seem to know a lot about bookstore managent, Yun-ho. You be the manager. I’ll be the bookstore owner.
Was this the leisure of a building owner? Tang Hwarin declared a separation of managent and ownership in front of , enough to make conglorates cry.
It felt like we were both holding chairman and president titles in a start-up of just us two, but still, going from a holess barbarian Mr. Kang to a manager was a significant status upgrade.
Now, when there’s a difficult custor, and they demanded to see the manager, I could step forward. What would you do then? I could make a scene.
“You are the manager. I am Sohn Seosaeng, studying nearby. But, a ‘Daseogak’? What is that?”
“It’s a place popular in Joseon, a tea house that is also a bookstore.”
“A tea house and a bookstore? That’s even more puzzling.”
“By paying an entrance fee, you can read any book you want in this Daseogak all day long.”
I pointed to the sign near the entrance with the entrance fee and precautions written on it.
“No way! You an to say, for the price of just one al, I can read any of these books? Really, all these books? Are you planning so sort of conspiracy?”
How did he know? Indeed, he guessed my plan to make this the number one bookstore in Yichang. The scholar, astounded by the vast array of books, spoke in disbelief.
It’s understandably unbelievable. In this world, books were neither a luxury nor a common mass-produced item.
In this world, the literacy rate was so low that when you went to an inn, a Jeom So-i would hand you the nu and tell you to order food yourself.
Hence, while there’s a broad audience eager to read and enjoy books, the challenge lay in the supply.
Although printing presses existed, they were scarce, and the high cost of materials like paper and ink made production expensive. Thanks to printing technology, books weren’t exorbitantly priced, but they were not exactly affordable either.
In this world, reading was a hobby that’s too costly to indulge in casually, unless it was for educational purposes.
I was introducing a book café to this world, offering what seed to be a very affordable option.
“Yes. By paying the entrance fee, you can use this Daseogak. Plus, to celebrate our opening, we will be offering free access for a week, so feel free to read any book you like during that ti.”
Hearing my explanation, the scholar began weaving through the bookshelves.
“This book, wasn’t it written by a great scholar during his retirent 30 years ago? This one! A poetry collection that was briefly popular 20 years ago. Heh. To think there are so many books I’ve wanted to read. Am I dreaming right now……?”
As expected. I quietly smiled, observing the scholar’s reaction.
The books stocked in the book café were akin to “chicken ribs” – items in inventory that were sowhat interesting or worth reading but not worth the money to purchase. Such books would perennially remain as inventory from the perspective of a bookstore.
However, the narrative changed when these unsellable items beca available for reading in a book café. Chicken ribs transford into delicious Chuncheon-style spicy grilled chicken, all at an affordable price.
‘Malignant inventory that’s hard to sell suddenly becos a ans to attract custors to the bookstore.’
Visitors ca to the bookstore to read books at the Daseogak. Simply put, more people were likely to visit the bookstore than those coming specifically to buy books.
They all beca potential custors of the bookstore, even if they didn’t purchase anything.
The inventory that was neither sold nor disposed of started generating revenue through the entrance fee to the Daseogak. Without selling a single book, a new source of inco was established.
“Was I inford correctly on the first floor that this place allows you to read books freely?”
“Yes, that’s correct. Welco to the Daseogak.”
“Wow. So many books. Ah! I’ve wanted to read this.”
“To be able to freely read such great books!”
Following the scholar, custors began flocking to the book café one by one.
‘It’s ti to move on.’
The entrance fee was waived for the first week, but I planned to generate revenue through other ans.
As people settled in with their books, I made my way to the counter.
“Excuse , manager. My throat is a bit dry. Could I have so water?”
The man who deliberately rubbed his throat to show his thirst was the first visitor, Son Seosaeng.
“Haha. We don’t have water, but we do sell tea.”
I stood at the counter and directed his attention to the prominently displayed price list.
“Then, I’ll have to order tea… Ah, what is this?”
“Which one are you referring to?”
“What do you an an Aricano costs 40 copper! Isn’t that more expensive than a bowl of hangover soup!”
The scholar looked like a student who had casually offered to pay for dessert after a al, only to be shocked by the prices at a franchise coffee shop.
“This place is a bookstore, but also a tearoom, which is why. However, unlike a tearoom, you’re not obliged to order tea, so if you feel pressured, you don’t have to.”
“Then, if I step outside for a bit…”
“Once you leave the Daseogak, you won’t be able to re-enter for the day.”
“Ugh… How can that be?”
The scholar looked at with dissatisfaction, as if I were exploiting the situation for profit. The books might not have cost anything, but the interior design was all funded with my own money.
Even the coffee brewing equipnt was picked up for a bargain from a junk dealer because I didn’t have the money to buy them. “It’s a grand opening gift,” said the general manager, handing it over with trembling hands, feeling so regretful.
“Excuse , if you’re not buying, could you move aside? Mister, a warm Aricano, please.”
“The first custor of the Daseogak is such a beauty. It’s an honor. I’ll prepare one right away.”
“Hehe. Please infuse it with your care, mister.”
“Why am I the ‘mister’ when we don’t look that different in age, yet you’re ‘mister’ to the manager…”
Ignoring the grumbling scholar, I started to make the first Aricano.
Being in this world and making an Aricano feels nostalgic. Back in the day, I would have just shouted ‘Grind!’
Well, in a world where Rosé Tteokbokki, the apostle of Tteokbokki, existed, Aricano was definitely a traditional coffee. Hmm.
“…Now that I see, the entrance fee is cheap, but they make their money on drinks. Is this the way of Joseon? It’s a ruthless but understandable business tactic. Fine. I’ll also have an Aricano.”
As I prepared the Aricano for the female custor, thinking Italian martial artists would be outraged, Son Seosaeng grudgingly accepted and ordered an Aricano with a resigned expression.
“Would you like it warm or cold?”
“Ha! Even if I freeze to death, it has to be an iced Aricano.”
“Ice is an additional 5 copper.”
“Ugh! Is there no scholar discount?”
Nope. None.
I didn’t create the book café solely for utilizing inventory and selling beverages.
The advantages of a book café.
There were far more than expected.
“Excuse , this book. Is it possible to purchase it, not just read it here? I picked it up without thinking much, but it turns out to be more useful than I expected. I’d like to buy a copy.”
A custor got up from his seat and ca to with a book in hand. I had hoped for such a custor from the first day, and here one was.
“Of course. Books displayed in the Daseogak are sold at a 30% discount off the retail price.”
“You’re selling this book at a 30% discounted price? Is that true?”
The custor looked incredulously between the book and .
You could trust . These were stocks that had been occupying space for decades, so selling them was profitable.
This was what I aid for.
Even if it’s a book considered bad inventory, frequently handled by many, it would eventually catch soone’s eye. Then, it could be sold imdiately to clear inventory.
The empty space would be filled with sought-after second-hand books. This accelerated book sales even more.
In this way, the first floor transford into a modern bookstore, while the second floor beca both a book café and a second-hand bookstore.
I pointed to a sign that stated books on one side are sold at a 30% discount, dispelling the man’s doubts.
“Certainly. Shall I process your purchase?”
“I’ll buy it right away. Just don’t ask for a return after selling it.”
Of course. It’s decades-old stock; don’t co back for a refund.
“Here they offer a 30% discount, should we also buy and take so ho?”
“Let’s do that. I’ll buy one, and you buy one, and we can share. Please process our purchases too.”
“A 30% discount! It’s going to be fun exploring the storeroom! I should find sothing good.”
“Dad, buy this for .”
Hearing that the books were being sold at a 30% discount, custors started purchasing the bad inventory without hesitation.
If sales continued like this every day, dealing with bad inventory would be quick.
‘There’s another reason for creating a book café on the second floor.’
I smiled smugly to myself as I watched people purchasing books and heading down to the first floor.
“There’s a new book on the second floor! After 20 years!”
“I don’t have the money… Shall we split the cost?”
“Let’s do that!”
The path from the Daseogak to the first-floor exit was intentionally designed to be the longest possible. This way, custors visiting the Daseogak naturally had to browse the books on the first floor, whether they were going up or down.
Create a book café with the book inventory. If a custor liked the inventory, they could purchase it cheaply. If not, they still ended up spending money on beverages.
Moreover, as the Daseogak gained popularity, the number of custors on the first floor naturally increased
It beca a book café with a positive feedback loop.
“We will be closing soon.”
I was enveloped in a sense of satisfaction as I looked around the bookstore, which had been doing well from the first day.
I wished the martial arts novel I was writing could be this popular. I had only managed to lay out the basic plot due to preparing for the bookstore’s opening and hadn’t properly started writing.
“Manager. Sell this book to .”
“‘The Rebellion of the Mak Clan’. You’ve chosen a good book.”
I didn’t know the content, but feeling light-hearted with the joy of closing ti, I struck up a conversation with Son Seosaeng.
“Oh? Have you read this book?”
“I know the gist of it.”
Actually, I didn’t. Don’t ask about the content.
“If you only know the gist, it might be different. ‘The Rebellion of the Mak Clan’ deals with a peasant uprising 50 years ago. It’s still published today, but this edition from 30 years ago is special.”
“How is it special?”
“Well, with a peasant uprising, there’s naturally looting, robbery, and, um, those kinds of things. This edition details those events quite specifically. To find it here…”
“It seems to contain a detailed account of true events.”
“It’s not true.”
“Isn’t the story of the peasant uprising based on true events?”
“The uprising and characters did exist, but the story written here is entirely fabricated. And in this edition from 30 years ago, it includes… how the Mak clan, after seizing the fortress, with the official’s wives. Hehe…”
Was it bought not for being a rare historical book or novel, but because it’s an erotic story?
“Could it be that a novel from 30 years ago is this lewd… No, no. Ahem. As scholars, we must be well-versed in classics, so please, process the paynt.”
Son Seosaeng, with a sly look, paid for the book, then concealed it in his clothes so that no one would notice, and left the Daseogak.
He seed to be a student preparing for the civil service exams. Could he pass with that attitude? It seed that faction novels were popular in this world too.
‘Wait? Faction?’
Hold on. This could be a great idea for my martial arts novel.
I closed the bookstore and hurriedly sat at the desk in the attic, dipping my brush in ink.
‘There was a way to grab the readers’ attention.’
Simply writing a martial arts novel wouldn’t instantly draw attention.
Should I resort to the novice writer’s last resort of provocative titles?
‘There’s sothing better than that.’
The novel I was writing was entirely fictional.
The characters were fictitious. The story was fictitious. But what if I used a real-existing family na?
A regular family na in martial arts novels.
‘Sichuan Tang Family.’
Set the protagonist as a mber of the Sichuan Tang Family.
The protagonist was full of righteous heroism but sohow always ended up entangled in typical martial arts novel scenarios.
Just having the na of the Sichuan Tang Family could draw imnse attention from readers.
I imdiately thought of a title in my head.
As I weaved the first novel I wrote in this world, a na that could attract attention as the title.
My second novel and my first sticky martial arts novel.
Its na was.
“The Saga of the Tang Family.”
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