Finding Thalhimers

Dear Grandpa…

I am so proud to tell you that the first edition of Finding Thalhimers has sold out! We’ve sold 5,000 copies over the past seven months, and the second edition is on its way this coming Fall.

Many books have sold from the back of my station wagon, straight from my parents’ garage, or from a smiling Wayne Dementi, the friendliest publisher in the world. Wayne, Dad and I have split up a list of book vendors and hand-delivered books all around town. We’ve encouraged people to “buy local” from a bevy of small businesses, from the Yellow Umbrella seafood store to Saxon Shoes. Local bookstores including Chop Suey Tuey, Fountain Books, and Book People have fueled sales at lectures and events. I think you’d be especially proud to know that book sales have supported some of our favorite non-profits including Bon Secours St. Mary’s and St. Francis hospitals, Science Museum of Virginia, Virginia Historical Society, Children’s Museum, Valentine History Center, Library of Virginia, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Beth Ahabah Museum and Archives, Community Idea Stations, and the Weinstein Jewish Community Center.

Of course, the majority of sales have been through the big guys: Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble. One of my recent hobbies is looking up the sales stats of the book on Amazon.com (in December, it ranked #13,767 out of 8 million books) and the states in which it has sold (about 25). I remember you telling me how proud you were when Thalhimers was listed in Women’s Wear Daily as being #1 in the country for sales earnings in the 1970s (4% net profit after tax…see, I was listening!). I wish I had your business sense to reach #1. I’m doing my best and, inspired by bestselling author Seth Godin, opted to forego the traditional publishing route and run the bookselling operation very much as a small business.

Farthest away sale? Amsterdam. Closest sale? Our neighbors. Largest event audience? 300 people at the Virginia Historical Society. Smallest audience?  One person on a rainy night at Starbucks’ “Coffee Chat with the Author.” I remember when you told me about the motto “Everyone Sells at Thalhimers.” I’ve been a hands-on author, making sales everywhere I go…from an airplane headed to San Antonio to my birthday dinner at a Powhatan, VA restaurant. I haven’t rested for one second.

In fact, I’ve been marketing this thing like crazy. I’ve done 60 events since the book launch in October, from Barnes & Noble signings to Snow Bear Breakfasts at the Positive Vibe Cafe to a luncheon lecture series at The Shepherd’s Center. I’ve given presentations at 30 different places including The Commonwealth Club, Virginia Festival of the Book, and J. Sargeant Reynolds’ “Celebration of Women’s History.”

Finding Thalhimers hasn’t hit The New York Times, but it did get some great media coverage across Virginia and North Carolina. I’ve been on the front page of the Richmond Times-Dispatch, a guest of Bill Bevins and Shelley Perkins on the “Wake Up Show” on Lite 98, featured on “Morning Edition” on WTVF public radio, interviewed by Cheryl Miller on CBS 6′ “Virginia this Morning,” interviewed on “Wordy Birds” on 97.3 WRIR, and appeared in Virginia Living, Winston-Salem Monthly, Greensboro News & Record, skirt! magazine, The Angelo of Kappa Delta,
GRID Magazine, Richmond.com, RichmondMom.com, RichmondBizSense.com and RVANews.com. Finding Thalhimers was the city-wide book selection for “River City Reads” in March and Style Weekly‘s #2 readers’ pick for “Best Book About Richmond” in 2010.

The best part of the journey? Hearing the stories of Thalhimers’ devoted employees and loyal shoppers. What an extraordinary community the Thalhimers store created. I feel blessed and fortunate to be able to keep the story alive. I hope somewhere up there, you are looking down upon my journey and smiling that gap-toothed smile.

With love…

Lizaboo

On display at Virginia Museum of Fine Arts gift shop (Thanks for texting this photo, Ashley!)

Sisterly pride at Fraiche gift shop! (Thanks for texting this photo, Christie!)

Book signing at Barnett's Hallmark Stony Point