'David vs. Goliath kind of a thing': Chicago bookstore stacked with orders after refund request
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A bookstore in Wicker Park credits a viral tweet for a surge in business as online orders are pouring in at Volumes Bookcafe.
But as CBS2's Noel Brennan shows us, it started with a customer asking for an unexpected refund.
The business of owning a bookstore is not the most page-turning material. But Rebecca George has a good story.
"David versus Goliath kind of a thing."
That tale is keeping shelves stocked at Volumes Bookcafe in Chicago's Wicker Park neighborhood.
"Bookstore people are fiercely loyal and will jump into fisticuffs, I think for any bookstore."
Like any good book, this story has a twist, and it starts with a tweet.
It read "Turns out, one of our biggest sales last month was for the person to stage their home for the holidays, and now they want to return them all. Please don't do this to a small business. That one sale was a third of our rent."
George said the woman spent hundreds on books she intended to return - not read.
"I hate the idea of books as props," said George, and when she tweeted her feelings, the likes and the love came back in volumes.
"What is it, like 6.6 million views later? That's insane. That's more than the city of Chicago. That's insane," said George. "I was thinking the only people who are reading my tweets are other booksellers."
Now, the bookstore can barely keep up with new online orders.
"A normal day we'd maybe would have 20 in a day. Yesterday was like 390."
Turns out one of our biggest sales last month was for the person to stage their home for the holidays and now they want to return them all.
— Rebecca George (@rebecgeo) January 9, 2023
Please don’t do this to a small business, people. That one sale was a third of our rent.
There were so many orders, George is working on her day off.
"The notes that people are putting on their orders are so sweet and lovely. And yeah, if I could hug every one of them, I would," George said.
No author could write a better ending.
"We're really thankful."
George said the shop did not refund the woman for the books, but they settled on store credit. She hopes people who hear her story will support small businesses in their own neighborhoods.