Farewell and welcome

Joanne Bellanger, longtime owner of Lotus Books, has sold the store to Erin Dalton

Erin Dalton (R) is the new face of Lotus Books. She took over the bookstore from longtime owner Joanne Bellanger (L) on October 1, 2012. — Marie Milner photo

In purchasing Lotus Books from Joanne Bellanger, Erin Dalton has stepped into business ownership for the first time. Dalton actually worked for Bellanger at Lotus Books for three years way back when, and after living on the West Coast for eight years, Dalton and her husband were looking for an opportunity to return to Cranbrook. When Bellanger said that she was ready to sell the store, that was the incentive Dalton had been looking for.

“I just turned 40, and it’s also the store’s 40th anniversary this year,” Dalton said. “The harmony of that kind of gives me goosebumps.”

“I think that Erin will do well because she is very involved in the community,” said Bellanger. “I’ve always considered this a community bookstore and I believe Erin feels the same way.”

A little history

Bellanger bought the bookstore in 2000, after years of working in a government position with the B.C. Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks.

“My biggest surprise in the beginning was that the book business was much more involved and complex than I had expected it to be,” she said. “But it’s a very friendly business. Everybody involved in the book world—from publishers to reps—is incredibly friendly. They’re very supportive and non-competitive, and people work hard to keep it this way.”

Warm and creative

Dalton brings her own brand of warmth and savvy to the bookstore. She learned early in her working life the importance of supporting the folks who support her, whether they’re employees, employers, customers or friends. She is a creative sort who knits, sings, is learning to play the ukulele, and likes to cook and bake and savour the mountain views.

“My guilty pleasure is reading the Edgar Rice Burroughs Warlord of Mars series,” she smiled. “Totally escapist, pulp science fiction is my go-to when I need a break.”

Adapting to the times

Over the years Bellanger has made some changes at the bookstore.

“With so many grocery stores and department stores carrying books now, we have had to diversify,” she said. “We have tried to stay connected to the community, to be aware of what they want. Our product line now includes gift items and music, and we bring in speakers and seminars.”

Her methods are working. Year after year, readers of Kootenay Business magazine choose Lotus Books above all others in the Best of Business survey.

Stepping out with her other love

Bellanger is looking forward to her next step.

“My immediate plan when I leave here is to take a one-year sabbatical," she said. "I have a great love for yoga, and I’m going to live and work and teach yoga for a year at the ashram on Kootenay Lake, between Crawford Bay and Riondel. I’m excited—it’s something that I’ve wanted to do for years, and this is the right time.”

Bellanger is optimistic that Lotus Books will continue to succeed.

“I think bookstores need to offer something that the department stores don’t have, and that’s an experience," she said. "Erin has the personality to do that.”