The Banned Book Shop Is For SALE
Dear Bookstore Owner,
I hope this email finds you well. I’m reaching out to share an exciting opportunity. The short version is this: early last year, inspired by the growing trend of book banning in many U.S. states, I dedicated considerable time to building an online bookstore called The Banned Book Shop. The shop focuses on selling books that have been banned in one way or another. I am now looking to sell the store.
What is The Banned Book Shop?
Firstly, I’m based in Australia. Early in 2024, the book-banning trend in the U.S. reached Australia, culminating in the temporary banning of several books from a public library in Sydney. This ban was later overturned (read more here).
Outraged at the idea that books could be banned in Australia, I began researching and soon realised that book banning is practically a national pastime in the U.S., growing at an alarming rate. My shock at this wave of anti-intellectualism and censorship inspired me to create a form of protest: an online bookstore.
Leveraging my background as a website developer, I used data from PEN America (see their latest index here) to build a fully interactive map of banned books by state and county:
Interactive Banned Books Map
This data-driven map and search mechanism took a great deal of time to develop—and it works beautifully. Combined with an extensive data-entry project to list all the titles in a Shopify store, the result is a fully functioning online bookstore. But there’s a catch.
The Challenge
Originally, I intended for book delivery to be fulfilled via Amazon. However, platforms like Google and Facebook wouldn’t allow me to advertise or promote the site since I wasn’t fulfilling the orders myself, violating their merchant listing policies.
I then explored alternatives and came across BooksRun. Unfortunately, after weeks of trial and error, I found their connectivity, service, and tech support insufficient. Without a seamless fulfilment solution, I had to pause my efforts, having run out of time.
I’m a website developer, not a bookstore owner, and I have no intention of entering the book industry. Now, I’m left with a fully operational online bookstore featuring a unique search tool, a very low but accidental following on Instagram (650+ followers, and growing daily by around 10-15 in the last month without doing anything), and a Facebook page (50+ followers). The potential for success is enormous, but it requires someone like you—a book professional—to take the reins.
What I’m Offering
I am simply looking to recover costs. I estimate I’ve invested approximately USD $40,000 into developing and creating the store. I'm not expecting to get that all back, so please, reach out and make me an offer. This is a turn-key solution, ready for someone to take over and grow. Here’s what’s included:
- A fully operational Shopify website and online store.
- The domain name thebannedbook.shop.
- All artwork, images, and templates.
- Instagram, Facebook, and X (formerly Twitter) accounts.
- AWS-hosted data services for the interactive map and PEN America data.
- A list of 891 U.S. media contacts, preloaded into Shopify, for press releases and promotions.
- Comprehensive handover and training.
- Ongoing support, until you feel comfortable
- Why This Opportunity?
The Banned Book Shop is a truly unique, niche platform that can flourish under the right ownership. As a bookstore professional, you already have the expertise, network, and fulfilment capabilities to take this concept to the next level.
If you’re interested, would like to make an offer, have any questions, or would like to discuss further, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Best regards,
Benjamin Dry
[email protected]
TwoSticks.Studio
Noosa, Australia