Meet Hafeezah Ali | Keeper of the Sacred Book

We had the good fortune of connecting with Hafeezah Ali and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Hafeezah, maybe we can start at the very start – the idea – how did you come up with the idea for your business?
The idea came to me! I knew I wanted a new way of earning income. I knew I wanted to be intentional and inspired by my work. I knew I didn’t have the right idea yet. Cut to 3 weeks later, I’m sitting at my desk reconciling my budget when a thought appears in my mind: “Sell books. But make it fun.” That was it. I looked around for the angel that whispered in my ear and when I only found myself I accepted it as truth. The entire business model came together in 4 hours.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My mission for Brown Bag Bargain Books is very simple: “To spark curiosity and wonder. To deliver magic.”

I curate books for the adventurous reader. Each book is carefully chosen through a personal vetting process — one that evolves with the business. I do this because I care. I care that customers are excited, I care that they want to dive right in, I care that they leave with a positive reading experience. Then the real fun begins!

(1) I wrap each book in Brown Bag or gift paper. I stash a bookmark and sticker in the pages.
(2) I design a positive message on the front, call it: “judge a book by its cover.”
(3) I write clues on the back, call it: “choose your own adventure.”

The entire business is a Blind Date: you don’t meet the book until you unwrap it. Curiosity! Wonder! Magic!

I’ve learned a lot since developing the idea in August 2021. In my pilot season with family and friends, I’ve sent poorly wrapped books, classics that I thought were contemporary because of the cover, books in the middle of a series, middle grade books that I thought were young adult, novellas that I thought were novels — all the rookie mistakes. I can laugh about it now because these mistakes (and many others) made way for the standard procedures I follow today.

It’s been an exciting and easy journey so far. Not because it’s lacked challenges, but because it was a path designed specifically for me. I believe in Brown Bag Bargain Books like I believe in myself; and that’s exactly why I sign every book with “Yours, Hafeezah.”

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Great question! I spend a lot of time walking around the city limits. (1) Breakfast at Snooze or Denver Biscuit Company. (2) Reading and people watching at Cheesman Park. (3) Casual hiking along the Cherry Creek Trail. (4) A more observant hike at Red Rocks Park followed by a race up the amphitheater steps. (5) Looking for the mountains in the skyline and remembering you don’t know which way is west. (6) Going on a haunted tour in Capitol Hill. (7) Standing on the “one mile above sea level” marker at the Capitol Building. (8) All the street art that appears when you’re not looking for it. (9) Sitting at Berkeley Lake. (10) Going home.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My parents, Shakir and Al-Nisa Ali, for providing the foundation of my personal development and success. My sisters: Latifa, Walida, Shakirah, and Khadijah, for encouraging and supporting my dreams along the way. And to every friend, relative, acquaintance, colleague, stranger that smiled when I shared pieces of my story: thank you.

Website: https://www.brownbagbargainbooks.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brownbagbargainbooks_/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Brown-Bag-Bargain-Books-101898559318910

Other: https://www.pinterest.com/brownbagbargainbooks/

Image Credits
Street art by: Chad Bolsinger, Casey Kawaguchi, and Unknown