December Member Highlight: Brown Books & More

The Decatur-Morgan County Chamber of Commerce's Member Highlight for December is Brown Books & More located at 2119 Westmead Drive SW Suite 10 in Decatur. We spoke with Owner Janelle Brown to find out more about this local business.

Describe your organization, including the history and services you provide? "Brown Books & More is an independent bookstore. We have a book for everyone, and a specialty in multicultural books. Our motto is, Changing your world through the pages of books! In addition to the great book selection, we have a cafe. The cafe offers gourmet foods, such as chicken salad and strawberry pretzel salad. Not to mention real fruit smoothies."

What makes your organization stand out? "Our organization stands out because our mission is to bring the community together. We love the way books and art showcase the best in each culture."

How has your organization changed in the last few years? "Our organization has grown from online to a brick and mortar with a cafe addition."

What do you see for the future of your organization? "The future is bright for the book world. People are now realizing the benefits of reading and its gathering effect. We plan to expand the building footprint to accommodate larger crowds."

What advice would you offer to someone looking for the type of services your organization provides? "Advice for any business owner is to save when the months are plentiful to cover the slow seasons."

Describe an exciting recent highlight for your organization. "We hired employees!"

What is one advantage your organization is seeing right now? "We have noticed an uptick in reading among young people."

What are the biggest challenges your organization is facing right now? "The biggest challenge is the cost of supplies. Expenses rise every month for the same amount of product."

What’s the best business advice you’ve been given? "The best business advice I've been given is to learn to say no."