by Tiffany Verbeck

We have exciting news from Wonder Book Gaithersburg—the majority of the store is undergoing revitalization. Entire sections are shifting. Our most popular areas are expanding. Employees are working hard to organize our books and media better than in the past. The goal is to improve an already exceptional customer experience.

We are thrilled for our customers to see the revived store in person. “The changes at Wonder Book Gaithersburg in the last four months are very exciting for me,” owner Chuck Roberts said. “It has always been a good bookstore (since 1975), but now I think it is approaching great.”

The best thing about all these changes? “We are now getting a better selection of books and media than we were even a few months ago,” said Vanessa D., the Gaithersburg store manager. “Customers should be happier with what they can find in our store.”

Here are the highlights of our reorganization:

Expand Best-Selling Sections

We know what our customers love to read, and we want to make more of those books readily available in-store. To accommodate this, we are expanding sections such as classic literature and history. We will have a better selection of the most-loved novels and nonfiction books to enhance the customer browsing experience.

Also, we decided to rejuvenate our media—DVD and Blu-Ray—selection. This expansion will allow customers to peruse the area in a much simpler manner.

“Categories that deserve more space and better organization have gotten it,” Chuck said. “While we have added a lot of better, prettier, more collectible books, the store is still full of tens of thousands of books from under $3 to under $5.”

Reduce Less Popular Sections

In some areas of our store, the sections were too large for their low demand. For example, the mass market paperbacks are less sought-after than other books in our store. We decided to downsize specific paperback sections such as romance novels and westerns. This change will open up more space for books that customers are eager to read.

Create a More Coherent Order

We are upgrading to a better organizational system for some of the shelves. For example, in the kids’ section, our staff is working hard to alphabetize the picture books by author’s last name. Now a customer can come in searching for Richard Scarry’s picture books and be able to go straight to “S” and find what we have in stock. This fantastic update will help children and parents alike find their favorite books quickly.

Label Shelves Better

In addition to creating a better organizational system, we are also adding to the labeling of the shelves. Customers will notice better and more explicit labeling of sections and should be able to browse more smoothly from now on. This change will decrease any confusion a customer might experience while exploring the store.

Our staff enjoys using their top-notch organizational skills to create the best customer experience. “It’s always nice to work on new projects,” assistant manager Paul H. said.

But any significant change requires a bit of a reshuffle, and our staff is here to help. Each of our employees understands where the sections have moved, so don’t hesitate to ask if you can’t find what you are looking for. We are also trying to label any shelf changes to make finding the new locale easier.

“The advice I have for the customers during this time is just to be patient as we are going through this process,” Vanessa D. said. In other words, subjects are shifting, but the positive store experience remains.

“Even though there’s a lot going on, the store still has all its charm,” assistant manager Moya M. said. “You can still wander through and find something you’ll love to read.”

The owner encourages customers to see for themselves. “The store is uninterrupted and better than ever,” Chuck said. He emphasized that no sections are or will be unavailable, even amid the reorganization. All the progress has happened without any halting of the regular buying and selling that occurs daily.

As for when customers should plan a visit? Today, Chuck believes. “The final pieces are falling into place, and now is a great time to visit the new and improved Wonder Book Gaithersburg.”

We look forward to seeing new and old customers soon to show them the exciting upgrades in our southernmost store.