In all the years I have been a bookseller, I have never been so optimistic about the future of my bookstore. Phoenix Books has enjoyed surprising growth in this first quarter of 2010. Coming on the heels of a very strong final quarter of 2009, the store has cut losses dramatically and is nearing break-even status. Only a bookstore would boast of not losing money!
We continue to add new customers, and that reflects the success of our "one customer at a time" philosophy: one customer at a time who receives our full attention and the best service we can offer with a smile; one customer at a time who discovers us for the first time and leaves feeling this was a place to return to for community, connection and customer service; one customer at a time who decides that there is something... some je ne sais quoi...that makes Phoenix Books special, unique, local, and worth spending time and money to support.
So, unlike Richard III, now is not the winter of my discontent but the spring of my reborn optimism. The naming of the store has come full circle. :)
What Phoenix Does Inside The Doors
By the way, we have created a mini gift & stationery store within the walls at Phoenix! In addition to our unbelievable selection of cards and expanded offerings in journals, there are new choices in jewelry, hand bags, scarves, and wrapping papers. There are some fabulous new lines of journals on the back wall. We try to buy domestic-made or fair trade products whenever possible. Even some of the standard lines include generous amounts of recovered or recycled materials. My favorite is Elephant Poo - yes poo - made from that very product, dried and pressed into paper. Try it, you will like it.
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Open Letter To The Governor And Legislature
As the owner of Phoenix Books and Café, an independent, locally owned bookstore in Essex Junction, I am urging you to support H.661. We employ three full time and seven part time employees. This e-fairness legislation would clarify state laws to require non-Vermont merchants with online affiliates in the state acting as sales agents on their behalf to collect sales tax on purchases shipped to Vermont. The bill would play a role in establishing sales tax equity for Vermont businesses and would help secure needed revenue to support essential local services. It is very similar to legislation enacted in New York and Rhode Island.
The tax avoidance being practiced by these out-of-state retailers is unfair to the retailers throughout Vermont that are collecting sales tax for online sales, and it has clear economic implications for the state, especially considering the current economic climate. It is no secret that Vermont is projecting a huge gap of $28 million. This deficit is only going to grow worse if states continue to subsidize out-of-state businesses by allowing remote merchants with nexus in Vermont to skirt existing tax laws, thereby letting millions of dollars in sales tax revenue go uncollected.
At a time when Vermont is expected to lose more than $21 million in sales tax revenue to out-of-state retailers in 2010, it seems crazy that the state taxing authorities are allowing these out-of-state retailers to get away with this tax dodge at the direct expense of in-state businesses and communities.
The results of sales tax inequity create a ripple effect seen throughout Vermont's economy, resulting in higher property taxes and budget cuts for police and fire departments. For the good of in-state businesses -- and all of the residents of Vermont – I hope that you will take a stand for equity and support H.661, which will require out-of-state online retailers with nexus in Vermont to collect and remit sales tax.
I have owned and operated an independent bookstore in Vermont from1996 to 2003 and opened Phoenix in November of 2007. I have never considered Vermont to be an unfriendly state for my local business but this tax inequity is extremely unfriendly to bricks and mortar stores. Why wouldn’t the state turn over every stone in an effort to collect taxes already owed? Why would the state subsidize these out of state companies by allowing them a 6 or 7 % competitive advantage over my taxpaying, tax collecting, mini economic engine? Why put my sizable investment at risk to the ever encroaching use of the internet for commerce? And what do you suppose will happen to sales taxes when all of us bricks and mortar retailers have gone the way of the Dodo bird?
Sincerely,
Mike DeSanto
Owner
Phoenix Books and Café
Essex Junction, VT 05452
The tax avoidance being practiced by these out-of-state retailers is unfair to the retailers throughout Vermont that are collecting sales tax for online sales, and it has clear economic implications for the state, especially considering the current economic climate. It is no secret that Vermont is projecting a huge gap of $28 million. This deficit is only going to grow worse if states continue to subsidize out-of-state businesses by allowing remote merchants with nexus in Vermont to skirt existing tax laws, thereby letting millions of dollars in sales tax revenue go uncollected.
At a time when Vermont is expected to lose more than $21 million in sales tax revenue to out-of-state retailers in 2010, it seems crazy that the state taxing authorities are allowing these out-of-state retailers to get away with this tax dodge at the direct expense of in-state businesses and communities.
The results of sales tax inequity create a ripple effect seen throughout Vermont's economy, resulting in higher property taxes and budget cuts for police and fire departments. For the good of in-state businesses -- and all of the residents of Vermont – I hope that you will take a stand for equity and support H.661, which will require out-of-state online retailers with nexus in Vermont to collect and remit sales tax.
I have owned and operated an independent bookstore in Vermont from1996 to 2003 and opened Phoenix in November of 2007. I have never considered Vermont to be an unfriendly state for my local business but this tax inequity is extremely unfriendly to bricks and mortar stores. Why wouldn’t the state turn over every stone in an effort to collect taxes already owed? Why would the state subsidize these out of state companies by allowing them a 6 or 7 % competitive advantage over my taxpaying, tax collecting, mini economic engine? Why put my sizable investment at risk to the ever encroaching use of the internet for commerce? And what do you suppose will happen to sales taxes when all of us bricks and mortar retailers have gone the way of the Dodo bird?
Sincerely,
Mike DeSanto
Owner
Phoenix Books and Café
Essex Junction, VT 05452
Monday, March 29, 2010
New Posting and New Products
Recession? What Recession!
In all the years I have been a bookseller I have never been so optimistic about the future of my bookstore. Phoenix Books has enjoyed surprising growth in this first quarter of 2010. Coming on the heels of a very strong final quarter of 2009, the store has cut losses dramatically and is nearing break even status. Only a bookstore would boast of not losing money! We continue to add new customers and that reflects the success of our "one customer at a time" philosophy: One customer at a time who receives our full attention and the best service we can offer with a smile; One customer at a time who discovers us for the first time and leaves feeling this was a place to return to for community, connection and customer service;One customer at a time who decides that there is something..."je' ne sais quoi"...that makes Phoenix Books special, unique,local, and worth spending time and money to support. So, unlike Richard III, now is not the winter of my discontent but the spring of my reborn optimism. The naming of the store has come full circle:)
What Phoenix Does Inside The Doors
Customers should notice a new emphasis on some non-book items. There are some fabulous new and expanded lines of journals on the back wall. We try and buy domestic made, or fair trade products when ever it is possible. Even some of the standard lines include generous amounts of recovered or recycled materials. My favorite is Elephant Poo, yes poo, made from that very product, dried and pressed into paper. The poo originates in Thailand. Try it, you will like it. There is also a new mini journal made out of...Panda Poo. There are also products by Sustainable Threads, a Fair Trade company from India with recycled, handmade, products. Hope For Women features fair trade, hand made cards from El Salvador and the Himalaya region...these are quite unique and very beautiful. The headquarters is right here in Vermont, in Burlington...how cool is that? There are also new collections from Paperblanks, and the very trendy folks at Moleskine. We also added a new line of journals from Eco System which are made in the USA and feature 100% post consumer recycled paper! There are also new chocolates and new teas available, and keep an eye open for new boxed cards, writing papers and wrapping papers.
In all the years I have been a bookseller I have never been so optimistic about the future of my bookstore. Phoenix Books has enjoyed surprising growth in this first quarter of 2010. Coming on the heels of a very strong final quarter of 2009, the store has cut losses dramatically and is nearing break even status. Only a bookstore would boast of not losing money! We continue to add new customers and that reflects the success of our "one customer at a time" philosophy: One customer at a time who receives our full attention and the best service we can offer with a smile; One customer at a time who discovers us for the first time and leaves feeling this was a place to return to for community, connection and customer service;One customer at a time who decides that there is something..."je' ne sais quoi"...that makes Phoenix Books special, unique,local, and worth spending time and money to support. So, unlike Richard III, now is not the winter of my discontent but the spring of my reborn optimism. The naming of the store has come full circle:)
What Phoenix Does Inside The Doors
Customers should notice a new emphasis on some non-book items. There are some fabulous new and expanded lines of journals on the back wall. We try and buy domestic made, or fair trade products when ever it is possible. Even some of the standard lines include generous amounts of recovered or recycled materials. My favorite is Elephant Poo, yes poo, made from that very product, dried and pressed into paper. The poo originates in Thailand. Try it, you will like it. There is also a new mini journal made out of...Panda Poo. There are also products by Sustainable Threads, a Fair Trade company from India with recycled, handmade, products. Hope For Women features fair trade, hand made cards from El Salvador and the Himalaya region...these are quite unique and very beautiful. The headquarters is right here in Vermont, in Burlington...how cool is that? There are also new collections from Paperblanks, and the very trendy folks at Moleskine. We also added a new line of journals from Eco System which are made in the USA and feature 100% post consumer recycled paper! There are also new chocolates and new teas available, and keep an eye open for new boxed cards, writing papers and wrapping papers.
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