2nd & Charles

The only business that’s experienced as much change as the newspaper industry has got to be publishing. E-Readers, while an incredible advancement in technology, have taken a gigantic bite out of the sales of books from retailers. And, as brick and mortar stores try to adjust to an incredible fluid marketplace, it’s important for them to reinforce and support their core products and not focus on a digital only strategy. While BAM was making rapid advancements in the digital category, they wanted to find a new niche to occupy in the market. That’s when Books-A-Million came to us with an ingenious idea: open a used bookstore concept.

To be clear, this idea is nothing new. Second-hand bookstores are successful all over the US, but Books-A-Million wanted to test one out that was even more conceptual. They wanted a store that had both a sense of historical place as well as a modern edge: one that felt less like a thrift store and more like a well-designed gallery/library. Built into the premise was a store that recycled everything, right down to the left over stuff from their location’s previous tenant. With this in mind, we set out to develop the name, mark and brand.

Thus, the 2nd & Charles brand was born. The store offers customers the opportunity to trade in their used books, music, movies, video games and more for cash or store credit. Then, they can shop the 40,000-square-foot space, which holds more than 500,000 different items on over 3 miles of shelf space. Inventory changes every day and you’ll always find something different. That experience was something no big box retailer could match. It’s the thrill of the hunt meets the guarantee of a good deal. After developing the foundation, we created the website, print campaign, in-store signage and outdoor to match. The brand developed this smart, tongue-in-cheek personality that made it stand out even more.

The opening of the first store was so successful, Books-A-Million is opening several new 2nd & Charles locations in markets across the United States.