Meet Danni Gugel Nichole Tipton | Bookstore Owners

We had the good fortune of connecting with Danni Gugel Nichole Tipton and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Danni Gugel, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
We wanted to do something that we loved, something that made us happy. We are both former teachers and after that worked for a more high-stress education company in management positions. At some point we realized that we were both stressed, overworked, and we weren’t able to find joy in what we were doing anymore. As best friends we couldn’t watch the other one struggle anymore. So we sat down one day and asked each other if we could do anything, what would it be and the immediate answer for both of us was “open a bookstore.” While at the time a brick and mortar wasn’t really an option, Danni thought of creating a mobile bookstore (she texted Nichole at 3am to tell her the idea)! We love books, but more than that we love talking about books, and sharing new books with everyone who comes on the bus to shop. Our favorite thing is when someone comes onto the bus and is ready with a genre or a previous book that they loved and we get to recommend something similar. Every day we find joy in what we do. Books are our happy place and getting to travel around Colorado sharing those books with other book lovers is everything we had hoped for.

What should our readers know about your business?
We are a mobile bookshop operating out of a shuttle bus named Wanda. We travel all over the Denver Metro area and as far North as Longmont, as far South as Colorado Springs and everywhere in between. We even spent some time in Evergreen a few weeks ago! We sell new books (romance, mystery, fantasy, fiction and all of those little sub genres that we love- Romantasy anyone?) We also sell kids book and teens books and have a small “Previously Wandered Section” for gently used books. We love our local authors and feature many author’s that live in Colorado. Aimie Runyan, Kate Lansing, Katie Weaver, and Emily Krempholtz are just a few! We also sell book totes, tumblers, book themed socks, tiny matchbooks with book covers and stickers. We have bookmarks and book covers from Sweet Pea Makerie and our biggest seller are our Blind Date Bundles! Selling books on a bus really comes down to relationships. We spent a good amount of the first 6 months we were open building relationships with other local businesses and figuring out how we could support their business and ours at the same time, We joined a fantastic business group in Littleton and have met so many amazing small business owners in the process. We created 3 different book clubs around town and thanks to the amazing breweries who let us meet and pop-up at their establishments have created a community for book lovers like us to meet and talk about books. Living The Dream Brewery in Highland’s Ranch, Coal Mine Ave Brewing in Littleton and Landlocked Ales in Lakewood all host our book clubs and give us a space to meet every month! It took time and energy to reach out, cultivate relationships, and put ourselves out there not knowing if anyone would even come. But what we found out is that the book community shows up. Physical books are still being bought and this community still wants to support small businesses and talk to real people about what they are reading, what they should read next and they maybe want to do it while drinking an ice cold beer on a bus. The Breweries who opened their parking lots to us and let a bus full of books pop-up gave us the start we needed. They are still our favorite places to go back to and as long as they let us we will keep pulling up. But, we are now doing markets and festivals, putting on some of our own events (Indie Bookstore Day Party) and just got asked to do the Denver Auto Show in April. It started slow but we kept going, we are still growing and learning. At the end of the day we believe that doing something that you love and believe in matters. If we get to talk books with new friends, whether that is two people or 100, then it was a good day.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
We both love Colorado and all it has to offer! Danni is a native coloradan and Nichole has been here 20+ years. Getting to travel around with the book bus has shown us even more places that we love! If it was a week long trip we would probably start with Breakfast at Lucille’s in Littleton – homemade biscuits and jams for the win! We would then wander over to walk through downtown. Stopping for coffee at Dirt and browsing some of our favorite shops (a game store, Spell Books, Lollygag Antiques, etc) then we would get an ice cream treat at Inside Scoop Creamery. We might even grab a tattoo from David Shull at Think Tank South and then we would finish out day 1 on the rooftop patio at Littleton Brewing Co enjoy their fantastic beers, a Carboy wine and some hot honey pepperoni pizza. Day 2 we will head to Novel Strand to grab some coffee and breakfast and then head to Wash Park to have a picnic and enjoy the sunshine and trees. Next we would stroll up Broadway to check out vintage shops, grab a drink and play some games at Punch Bowl Social. Day 3 we would catch a game at Coors field and then head to the Dairy Block to shop, drink and eat at Kachina Cantina! We might even hit The 1up Arcade Bar for a little late night pinball and skeeball! Day 4 a hike and then a concert at Red Rocks anyone?? We would eat at The Cow in Morrison first and then make our way to do a little tailgating before the show. Day 5 a stroll through the Denver Art Museum and then off to the RiNo district to pop into Spicy Librarian and then hit up the Puttshack for a little indoor mini golf, food and drinks! Day 6 we are in need of some R&R so a spa day at the Brown Palace Spa and Salon and then lunch and shopping at the 16th street mall. With a visit to The Tattered Cover and Union Station of course (to play in the fountains and get ice cream!) Day 7 we wind it all up in Golden. A Brewery tour, burgers at Atomic Burger a walk through downtown and then drinks on the patio watching the sunset and the cutest puppies play at New Terrain Brewery.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Our families!! We started with a dream, but they all helped us put it into action. There was so much more to building out a shuttle bus into a book store than you would think. Nichole’s husband Ty did most of the interior work installing shelves and making sure they won’t be going anywhere for a long time. He and Nichole’s father-in-law also did a good amount of the mechanic work needed to get the bus in tip-top shape. On top of that Nichole’s kids helped take out seats, and designed and installed the whole ceiling of the bus (it is covered in flowers). Danni’s Dad has helped at events, built all of the shelves we use on the outside and is always coming up with great new ideas for the store. Her mom and sister have helped at events and been a huge support bringing their bookclubs to shop and to events. Our exterior graphics were done by close family friends @longscustominteriors did an amazing job printing and installing our wrap for us! We also have our very own Karly who comes and helps us at big events and fills in if one of us can’t be there. She reads more than both of us and loves to talk about books as much as the two of us! We honestly could not have built this dream without the the help and support of our family and friends.

Website: https://wanderingbookco.com

Instagram: @wanderingbookco

Linkedin: @wanderingbookco

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Image Credits
Nichole Tipton