Inspiring Conversations with Dilver Lizama of DBZ Books ‘N’ Records

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dilver Lizama.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
We started an online reselling business in early 2016 from our house. By 2020, we were full time working in this business with a warehouse and 2 employees.

We were growing our online business but we did not feel this was the right business model for us. So we wanted to change our business to retail for different reason, but the main one was to build something where the community can enjoy and have a safe space to visit.

Now, we know that was the right decision. The community has welcomed us wholeheartedly. The store has grown beyond our expectations, and we feel that it’s on pace to continue to grow due to the community we have.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has not been a smooth road. Some struggles we faced were when the pandemic began and all online operations ceased. This put us on hold for months, with rent and employees to pay. Another challenge we faced that weren’t aware of, is the constant change of foot traffic in the retail business. There were some months when sales were not enough to cover rent. Thankfully, that has now changed. We stayed true to ourselves and our goals, and customers recognized that. Now, we have plenty of regular customers who will choose our store above any other for a particular product.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
We are a New & Used Indie Record Store and Indie Bookstore. We specialize in music and books, but that’s not all we focus on. We also sell collectibles, movies, video games and consoles, merchandise like t-shirts and bags, comics, and more. We sell New & Used items, which opens our doors to many more customers.

Our customer service sets us apart from other retailers. We have plenty of regular customers that know us on a first-name basis. We pride ourselves in going the extra mile for a customer. Something special that sets us apart, is that we host Exclusive Listening Events, where fans can listen to new albums early and receive free giveaway items. Either through Record Store Day or Record labels, we’ll sign up for Listening Events of upcoming albums. Sometimes, we receive up to 200 fans who attend these events.

We’re most proud of our community. Our community enjoys to see us grow and succeed. Any new updates we add to the store or our inventory, we always get comments on social media cheering us on. We constantly have new visitors and customers that heard about us through a friend’s recommendation. We truly appreciate our community and all they’ve done for us.

We want readers to know that we are more than meets the eye. For any new visitor or customer, all we can say is don’t judge a book by its cover. We’re constantly told that our store is so much more than what it appears from the outside. We offer a wide range of music and books, exciting events, and live music. We have a venue with space for a capacity of over 200 guests. There is something new happening every week here at DBZ Books ‘N’ Records!

How do you think about happiness?
My family makes me the most happy. I feel so lucky to have a business I can share with them. My wife and I work together everyday. We help each other always. My kids visit often and help, too.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.dbzbooks.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dbz_booksnrecords/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dbzbooksnrecords/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/dbz-books-n-records-corona
• Other: https://www.eventbrite.com/o/dbz-backstage-81627831863