New Bookstore Owners: Ask Us ANYTHING!

Are you the owner or manager of a new(ish) bookstore business? Do you have a list of questions you’d like to ask a pro-bookseller? Here’s your chance to connect with a mentor and ask anything! There will be no formal presentation at this event – simply log on and ask all your burning questions! 

Mentor: Hilary Atleo, co-owner of Iron Dog Books and CIBA Board Director

Hilary Atleo is a mixed Anishinaabe/Settler bookseller with a passion for science fiction and Indigenous literatures. She and her husband Cliff own Iron Dog Books in Vancouver, BC. The store originated as a mobile bookstore in 2017, and in 2019 they opened a brick-and-mortar store in the Hastings Sunrise neighbourhood of Vancouver. 

Iron Dog Books is in its sixth year of business and is thriving. As the owner of a relatively new bookstore, Hilary has recent experience and knowledge to share with other young bookstore businesses operating in, or soon-to-be launching-in, the Canadian market.

Who should attend this event: Bookstore owners with young businesses (less than five years old), or members planning to open a bookstore.

Hilary loves to talk about:

• Inventory curation (being a “good parts” book store)
• Data analysis
• Empathetic and judgement free book recommendations 
• Adapting and evolving our bookstore plan
• The creative and intellectual opportunities in bookselling

 Time listed is ET.