About four months ago, Sean and Rae-Lynne Byerley opened Yooneek Books on Elizabeth Street in downtown Okotoks.
In that brief period, they’ve already developed a loyal following, and provided an important outlet for local authors.
“In late summer 2020, I got laid off from my job at a supplier for the oil and gas industry,” Sean explained. “With COVID and everything, I decided to relax a bit, take some time at home, and do some reading.”
The ‘reading’ part gave him an idea.
“I was running back and forth and to Calgary to buy books and realized there wasn’t a bookstore in Okotoks,” he said.
He went online and discovered there weren’t any small bookstores between south Calgary and Lethbridge.
Once they determined the business was viable, Sean and Rae-Lynne had to face the realities that confront all entrepreneurs–no long vacations, no weekends off, and a total transformation of their family life.
At the time, Rae-Lynne had a secure job as an education assistant for the Foothills School District, and they were well aware of the gamble they would be taking by using their own money to fund the enterprise.
They identified organizations that dealt with booksellers and retailers in Canada, and Sean contacted a representative of one of them.
“She was extremely helpful, providing information about the business,” said Rae-Lynne.
Their biggest initial challenge was finding inventory.
“The publisher’s rep was extremely helpful, providing information about the industry as a whole,” said Rae-Lynne. “She not only sent us lists of top sellers for her niche, but also got us lists of bestsellers from other publishers.”
After they opened, they quickly learned that their customers did not hesitate to let them know what they wanted. On opening day, they were scrambling, writing down requests from people who came in. Japanese comic books are an example.
“We have a full section of them because that was what our customers from Okotoks requested,” Rae-Lynne said.
The support they have received from local authors has also been tremendous.
“Every week there are people from Okotoks, High River, Blackie, and throughout the district asking if we will carry their books,” Sean said. “There are so many authors, and they’re so talented. It’s unbelievable!”
Yooneek Books has also become a go-to destination for young readers.
“They have become regulars,” Rae-Lynne said. “And they’re extremely excited about us being here.”
That may be their most important contribution to the community.
They also have customers ordering books in advance–even books that won’t be published until later this year.
So, if you want a book that’s not on their shelves, ask Sean or Rae-Lynne to order it for you. It’s a lot easier than driving into Calgary, and you’ll be supporting an important Okotoks small business.
