Today we’d like to introduce you to Annabelle Chang.
Hi Annabelle, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Growing up, bookstores were my favorite places, and I’ve always been an avid reader. When the pandemic hit, I received so many requests for book recommendations that I decided to create an Instagram account and blog to share some of my favorite YA reads. After seeing the positive response to the stories I featured, I expanded my blog to include interviews with authors, bookstore owners, and other inspiring people in the book world. I started selling some of my favorite YA books online, and I eventually transitioned to selling books and merchandise at in-person pop-up events like the L.A. Times Festival of Books. After seeing how excited people were about the books I was featuring, I started to think about creating a store where my book curation would be more permanent. As I researched and visited bookstores in L.A. and across the country, I realized that there were no YA-focused ones, and I wanted to fill that gap in the market.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Day-to-day, it can be difficult to balance short-term needs like restocking inventory with less immediate but also important tasks like scheduling future store and pop-up events. However, it has all been a fun challenge that has already taught me so much about running a small business.
As you know, we’re big fans of Annabelle’s Book Club LA. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Annabelle’s Book Club LA is a YA-focused bookstore which aims to spark imagination, inspire human connection, and bring joy to people of all ages. We are known for our highly curated selections of books and gifts as well as our pop art-inspired merchandise. I am most proud of highlighting historically unrepresented voices and celebrating all types of stories.
How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
One of the most important things I’ve learned is that when you truly believe in your vision and your brand, others do, too. Our entire team wholeheartedly believes in the importance of YA literature and the ability of these books to bring joy to people of all ages. That translates to our customers, who end up being our best brand ambassadors. In only three months, the word of mouth has led to a wonderful sense of community being built around the store. We are excited for the in-person book clubs and author signings we have coming up. I really find joy in connecting fellow book lovers. We are so grateful for our customers’ enthusiasm for our in-person events and deeply appreciate them sharing about us through word of mouth and social media.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://annabellesbookclubla.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annabellesbookclubla
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@annabellesbookclubla
Image Credits
All photos were taken by Felicia Lasala
