Happy kids, good books, and Montessori toys in Szeged - Éva Weszelovszky introducing the ÁkomBákom children’s bookstore
ÁkomBákom Szeged is one of the few independent children’s bookstores in the country. Stepping inside this little jewelry box-type bookshop, sometimes it gets hard to choose between the carefully selected quality books and toys. And then many times you’ll find that the person showing you book after book, toy after toy, and helping you out with advice is none other than the founder and owner of ÁkomBákom, Éva Weszelovszky. Instead of books, this time we talked about the concept and the shop itself.
How and why did you decide to open ÁkomBákom, the first dedicated children’s bookstore in Szeged?
It was a fairly sudden decision. I needed a change at that point in my life. I wasn’t really satisfied with my job. At the same time, I was looking for a nameday present for my daughter. And while I was complaining about not being able to find any quality gift, somebody just popped the question: ˇBut why don’t you open a shop?” First, of course, I did not take it seriously but somehow the idea stayed with me, and within a year I opened ÁkomBákom.
Did you have experience in entrepreneurship before opening ÁkomBákom?
I had no experience in retail at all. I remember the first day when we opened and I had to use the cash register which is directly linked to the tax office. It was a pretty challenging experience. So I had to learn everything from the basics. How to stock, how to use the cash register and the bank card terminal, how to place the products on the shelves, how to organize the shop window etc.
But besides the lack of experience being an economist helped me a lot in making the right financial decisions. I think this is crucial for an entrepreneur to understand the financial aspects of the business.
How long has the shop been operating? Are you satisfied with ÁkomBákom at the moment? Do you think it has reached its final state, or is it always evolving?
ÁkomBákom has been open for nearly 3 years. It’s still a fairly new business. Many people haven’t heard about us even though we put a lot of effort into marketing. It is a very hard job but definitely worth it since we receive so much kindness from our customers and the children as well. There is no better incentive to keep up the work than these feedbacks. So I don’t think we have reached our peak.
The books and toys on offer in ÁkomBákom are meticulously curated. How do you choose what to stock?
This is the crucial point of our business. I opened ÁkomBákom to give joy to the kids. I always loved books and they gave me so much pleasure. I love to share this experience with others. In nowadays world – full of gadgets - I find it particularly important to show people the beauty of reading.
Besides books, we also have toys mainly based on the Montessori and the Waldorf pedagogy. These toys playfully teach and develop the kids. The best part of our work is when people come back to the shop just to let us know how much the kids liked the toy we recommended. And here I would like to emphasize not only the range of products - which is important - but also the quality of service we provide. We always try to help by recommending the most suitable book or toy to the visitors.
Do you stock products from local artists?
Yes, we do have some products, mainly postcards and prints of paintings. As a local business, I find it important to help local artists by showing their art.
What do you think is the most compelling in ÁkomBákom for your shop’s visitors?
I always imagined ÁkomBákom to be more than just a shop. I wanted to make it personal, and approachable, to let people know that it is a local mum’s creation, not just an impersonal organization. I constantly try to deliver this message in the shop by chatting with people but also on social media. We continuously encourage everyone to feel free to ask questions and to approach us. So I think our visitors like this cozy atmosphere the most.
Do you offer programs?
We did have programs in the past. Unfortunately, the pandemic made us stop them. But currently, I’m thinking of a new set of programs for all sorts of age groups. If everything goes fine we can launch them in autumn.
Do you have any special plans for the near future?
To be honest the current economic situation makes me a bit more cautious. I have to reconsider many things but I would like to extend the range of our products so we can also offer something exciting to teenagers and young adults. As a first step, we introduced the paint by number sets which are a great way of relaxing and releasing the everyday stress. But I also have some other ideas as well.
As for the future our main goal is to turn ÁkomBákom into a favorite place for Szegedians.
Images via ÁkomBákom Szeged
