Bookseller

Long Story Books
717 Edgewood Ave NE
Atlanta, GA 30307

Long Story Books is an independent bookstore and café in Inman Park built around books, coffee, hospitality, and the joy of bringing people together. We believe a bookstore should be a place people want to spend time in: welcoming, thoughtful, and connected to its community.  We’re looking for booksellers to join our very first team. 

Booksellers are responsible for selling books and merchandise, customer service, store operations, and supporting events. The bookstore and café are two parts of the same experience, and our team works across both to create a cohesive, well-run space for our guests.

We also believe in consistent pay across the bookstore and café. Long Story Books is a tip-free workplace, so our team does not rely on tips to determine their earnings. Every team member earns a consistent hourly wage, whether they are working in the bookstore, café, or supporting an event.

We’re looking for someone who is obsessed with books, takes pride in their work, cares about hospitality, and wants to be part of building something from the beginning.

Responsibilities

Bookselling & Guest Experience

  • Welcome guests and provide knowledgeable, attentive service.

  • Recommend books and help customers find what they are looking for.

  • Develop familiarity with current inventory, new releases, backlist titles, and featured selections.

  • Process sales, returns, exchanges, and other transactions accurately.

  • Maintain knowledge of store policies, promotions, events, and programming.

  • Help guests navigate the bookstore and café.

  • Build relationships with regular customers and contribute to the store's community.

Store & Café Operations

  • Organize, shelve, and maintain book inventory in the store and through computer-based systems.

  • Maintain shelves, displays, tables, café areas, and other customer-facing spaces.

  • Receive, process, and put away new inventory.

  • Assist with inventory counts, merchandising, and restocking.

  • Ring both book and café transactions through the point-of-sale system.

  • Work in tandem with café staff to keep service moving smoothly.

  • Maintain familiarity with the café menu, beer and wine offerings, and daily operations.

  • Complete opening and closing procedures.

  • Identify and communicate operational, inventory, and maintenance issues.

Events & Programming

  • Support author events, book clubs, storytimes, and other programming.

  • Prepare the store for events, including seating, books, displays, signage, and other event materials; reset the store following events.

  • Assist with guest arrival and event check-in as needed; help manage event flow and keep guest areas organized throughout the event.

  • Support book sales and café service during events.

  • Assist with event-related inventory, merchandise, and other sales.

General Expectations

  • Take ownership of assigned responsibilities and follow through; manage time effectively and prioritize tasks based on the needs of the business.

  • Maintain strong attention to detail.

  • Communicate clearly with teammates and managers.

  • Move between bookselling, café, event, and general store responsibilities as needed.

  • Help maintain a clean, organized, and well-run store.

Ideal Candidate Has:

  • Previous bookselling, retail, hospitality, or customer service experience preferred.

  • Genuine love for books and willingness to learn.

  • Strong customer service and communication skills.

  • Organized, dependable, and detail-oriented.

  • Comfortable managing multiple priorities in a busy environment.

  • Able to work independently and as part of a small team.

  • Available to work evenings, weekends, and events.

  • Willing to be hands-on with all aspects of operating a small business.

 Benefits

  • Accrued sick and vacation time

  • In-store discounts and access to advance reader copies

  • Paid volunteer time off

  • Professional development opportunities including bookselling courses and certifications, conferences and events, and more


Hospitality is central to Long Story Books. We want every interaction, transaction, event, and detail of the space to reflect that. We’re building a place where books, coffee, and community come together, and every member of the team plays a part in making that experience work.

Please submit your resume here.