The Last One Standing
Mike Gustafson shares his path opening and co-owning Literati, one of the few remaining booksellers in Ann Arbor
—By Kaitlyn Luckoff
Among the many chain retailers and upbeat restaurants that populate downtown Ann Arbor stands one of the city’s only independent bookstores. Literati Bookstore provides a place of refuge for book lovers among the crowded streets of the city, where the hand-picked book selections rebel against the increasing popularity of ordering books on Amazon or other online retailers.
When former Michigan residents Mike Gustafson and Hilary Gustafson heard about the Ann Arbor based chain Borders closing their doors in 2011, these book lovers couldn’t imagine Ann Arbor, one of the most creative cities, without a bookstore. This prompted their move from Brooklyn back to Ann Arbor to open Literati in 2013. Prior to moving, they spent many days in New York admiring small bookstores throughout the city.
Eight years later, Literati now serves as a creativity hub in Ann Arbor, providing residents with a vibrant and welcoming community to interact with one another. After many years of loyal service, Literati stands as a symbol of Ann Arbor’s creativity and unique community.
“We just wanted to support the kind of writing and the books we loved,” Gustafson said. “We wrote a vision for the business that I’m proud to say we achieved fairly early on, and so since then, it’s been a steady evolution. Like any business, ours has changed and evolved since we first opened, and especially during the pandemic. We always aim to have a very curated experience, an experience for discerning book buyers, whether that be online or in-person.”
The Literati experience
For students and Ann Arbor residents alike, this store is a well-loved, classic place to shop and find the perfect read. With three levels filled with books, this spot is guaranteed to help you find your next favorite book. “Shelf talker” reviews, composed by staff and customers, contribute to the overall shopping experience as a browser is able to read a true opinion on the book they are admiring.
For small business owners, there are many highs and lows that come with opening a new store. Gustafson reflected on one of his most memorable moments since opening Literati.
“The first day we were open, I remember sitting in my office feeling very nervous about the entire endeavor of opening an indie bookstore,” Gustafson said. “Two people walked by and said, loudly, ‘This is the best day ever.’ I thought then in that moment that we might be okay.”
Although the idea to open the indie bookstore originated when the multinational book retailer Borders closed, Literati prides itself on the customer-staff interactions and individualized shopping experience for all readers. Unlike the overwhelming shopping experience at a large-chain bookstore, Literati staff members take pride in their task of helping each customer find the perfect read according to Gustafson.
“I love the moment of putting a specific book into a specific person’s hands,” Gustafson said. “A book that I really believe will introduce them to a new idea or new voice or new world. A book that might ignite or rekindle a person’s love for reading. I do think we pride ourselves on our customer service; we believe every book has the power to change a person’s life and we take that responsibility seriously.”
Not only does this level of customer service satisfy shoppers, but it makes the job far more engaging and rewarding for Literati staff members. According to their website, employees are carefully selected to ensure that the staff has adequate book selling experience and passion.
“Every day is different, which makes the job an adventure,” Gustafson said. “There really is no typical day. The life of a business owner is vastly different day to day. One day, we could be creating a plan to increase staff for the holidays, the next day, we could be dealing with internet issues. I don’t want to speak on behalf of (our) staff. But I can tell from working at Literati myself, and having quite a few jobs that were less than fun, being around books is far more enjoyable than fixing printers or shoveling manure.”
Another aspect of Literati that does not compare to alternative book shopping experiences are the events available to all community members. Throughout the year, Literati offers nearly 200 events in the store. Since the pandemic began, these events have pivoted to a Zoom webinar format, still providing customers with multiple different virtual event opportunities. Many of these events feature authors of popular books sold in-store.
“We started doing events at Literati the first week we opened, back in the spring of 2013,” Gustafson said. “It was always our plan and our vision to host authors and be a hub for authors both in Ann Arbor and across the country.”
Challenges faced during the pandemic
Just like many other hurdles that the Gustafsons encountered during the pandemic, the cafe that was previously located inside of the store has been closed until further notice. Literati coffee was originally a business called “The Espresso Bar” that eventually expanded to the top floor of Literati. Customers appreciated the coffee being delivered to their tables in the cafe and the admirable customer service.
“Well, it’s closed indefinitely and we will see if it will reopen,” Gustafson said. “This time has been so hard for small business owners. We’re all trying to predict things in an unpredictable environment. That said, we expanded our book selection upstairs to allow for more socially distanced browsing. While I miss the bustle of the coffee shop, I’m confident the decision was in the best interest of safety for everyone.”
The pandemic was extremely pressuring and confusing for all members of the community. Gustafson shared the difficulties that Literati encountered in attempts to best survive the stressors of the pandemic.
“We’ve tried our best to just survive this thing. There has been an infinite amount of stress, both on us and on our staff. We’re all just trying to make it through. The journey has been bumpy but I feel like we’re finally starting to see light. In the beginning of the pandemic, it all felt like all small business owners were living on an island with no real direction from national leadership.There was no unified message, no unified plan, which wasn’t shocking given who was in office, but still. It really felt isolating, and we had to just simply fend for ourselves and do what we thought was right.”
Hopes for the future
Looking ahead to many more years of success, Gustafson shared his hopes for Literati customers.
“I hope people find something they might not be able to find elsewhere,” Gustafson said. “I hope they surprise themselves. But mostly I just hope they have a pleasant experience, both in person and on our website—a lot of customers have never supported an independent bookstore before.”
Feature photo by Kaitlyn Luckoff