Bookselling in a Snowstorm
Updated: Apr 19
by Jeffrey A. Rothermel
November 30, 2025
Captain's Log:
Bookselling in a Snowstorm
on
Small Business Saturday
Nine inches of snow fell in Iowa City, Iowa on small business Saturday (November 29, 2025).[1] It would have been a good day to stay home, but bookselling duty called. I had internet orders to fill. I shoveled the driveway and then drove to my book storage site that I call Area 52. I witnessed multiple vehicles fishtail, continue to lose control and slam into snowbanks while I made my way to my squired away stash of books. Why I didn't crash is a story for another time. Today's story is about bookselling in a snowstorm.
Originally, during the COVID years, my book cache was kept at the ultra-top secret book warehouse code named Area 51. As word of the stash of great book treasures spilled, the printed items were sent to Areas 52, 53, and now climate controlled 54. Remembering where a specific book is securely hidden is not as easy as it was in the early days. Thankfully, the computer database telling me where the BLACK FRIDAY ordered books were located, was accurate. This time, they were all located in Area 52.
Walk-in foot traffic is indeed important for a brick-and-mortar store. The snowstorm definitely disrupted book browsing on Small Business Saturday, not to mention "in store" book buying. The snow did not stop the internet orders. This weekend, I was thankful for having a diversified customer base (internet customers).
Few people were out in the snow, except snowplows along with a few drivers. Some drivers were taking center stage as their vehicles slid into snowbanks. Technically the snow began in the darkness, on the night of Black Friday around 9PM. Prior to Thanksgiving, weather forecasters predicted adverse weather beginning the evening of Black Friday in Eastern Iowa. Regardless of the warnings, some were not prepared.
The Iowa State Patrol (ISP) reported: "Between 12 p.m. Friday and 9 p.m. Saturday, the ISP handled 670 calls for service as snow and slick roads created hazardous driving conditions.
Troopers responded to 182 crashes, including:
164 that resulted in property damage
18 that involved injuries
0 fatal crashes
The patrol also assisted 488 motorists, many slid off roadways or became stuck as snowfall worsened.[2]
State of Iowa Traffic Photo on Interstate 80 vicinity Tiffin, Iowa (Coralville/Iowa City, Iowa) on Saturday, November 29, 2025 at 10:15 AM.
The Johnson County Sheriff's office posted Deputy Starr's photo on Facebook: Facebook
The posting stated, in part: "What are your Snow Day plans?? ... Whatever your plans, please avoid traveling unless it’s absolutely necessary - it’s still coming down out there, and will likely continue for the rest of the day. The roads are snowy and slick, and we’ve already seen some accidents in our area."
While traffic was stalled on Interstate 80, I was a few miles away packaging book orders. I got the packages to the local post office with two minutes to spare. Instead of going back to the store, I opted to do what many local businesses did that day: close early.
Captain's Book Shoppe order being packaged for shipment on November 29, 2025.
Late November snowfalls happen in Iowa. As the weather forecasters announce the upcoming storm, customers typically show up prior to the event to grab their comfort escapism books for enjoyment during the storm. Pattern analysis indicates that during the weather event, business is mostly internet action.
Captain's Book Shoppe Storefront on November 25, 2018.
This Thanksgiving I was thankful for the internet. May good fortune, happiness and health carry you into the next year. If you are looking for unique printed items, swing by the store or surf our websites. Each one is different.
Our unique finds change frequently with the tides. Thanks for looking.
= = = = = Notes
[1] Small Business Saturday was November 29, 2025. Snowfall reports from Saturday's snowstorm in eastern Iowa (Accessed November 30, 2025)
[2] Iowa Hiway Patrol traffic assistance calls. Iowa State Patrol responds to hundreds of calls during snowstorm (Accessed November 30, 2025).
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