BOOTE: Mrs Fuchs, you run the specialist maritime shop HAFEN FUCHS, which is well-known far beyond Hamburg's borders. You are not a trained bookseller, so how did you end up in this business?
MAIKE FUCHS: My parents had their first shop at the harbour back in 1975, and I practically grew up in it. I didn't officially learn it, I'm a qualified bank clerk, but I was in my parents' shop from the age of five and learnt the job from the ground up.
BOOTE: You used to have a beautiful, enchanted shop on the Landungsbrücken, then moved to Rödingsmarkt, took over your parents' business and finally landed in Shanghaiallee in HafenCity on 1 January 2018. Isn't that a bit far away?
MAIKE FUCHS: No, the location is ideal for us, because our old Hamburg customers have stayed with us, and thanks to the many new hotels in HafenCity, we always have tourists and walk-in customers who like to come and have a look around. We are now the last specialist bookshop for maritime topics in Hamburg.
BOOTE: Now you have almost one hundred per cent ship, maritime and historical literature. Are these areas that you are also interested in?
MAIKE FUCHS: Yes, absolutely. I grew up with it, and I've never known it any other way. But the sector is also so diverse and interesting that I can hardly imagine working in a conventional bookshop. The offers would be too general and unspecific for me.
BOOTE: Are you only interested in the books you sell, or do you also have a soft spot for boats or even a boat yourself?
MAIKE FUCHS: Yes, of course, I really like boats and everything nautical. But I simply don't have the time to have my own boat, because I'm in the shop six days a week, and of course I can't talk about a 40-hour week. Incidentally, I have a partner who would also like to see me!
BOOTE: Is there even enough time for a hobby?
MAIKE FUCHS: Of course I read a lot, my job demands it. Then I like travelling, but my real hobby is dancing.
BOOTE: Really? Just for a Sunday tea dance or something more involved?
MAIKE FUCHS: Oh yes, very committed! I love dancing Argentine tango in a dance school to balance out my job in the shop, where I don't have so many opportunities to move around.
BOOTE: The literature that you offer here is quite wide-ranging in terms of topics. Travelogues from all over the world, historical material, technical books, textbooks for further training, nautical charts, etc. Where do you get your specialised literature from, and how do you keep up to date with new publications or the latest specialist knowledge?
MAIKE FUCHS: Research, research and more research! That means spending several hours a day at the PC to see where there are interesting new publications. But my customers also inspire me time and again with their suggestions. When I'm travelling, I sometimes check out what the competition has on offer and add it to my agenda if necessary. Then I really enjoy working with small publishers who make interesting suggestions, and with the big, well-known ones anyway.
BOOTE: Can your customers also order from you online?
MAIKE FUCHS: Of course you can also order your books via our website, but we don't sell online. I believe that nothing can beat personalised advice and that talking to our customers in person is an important part of our success. Incidentally, that's what I enjoy most about my job ...
The articles can be found in the August 2019 issue of BOOTE. Available here.
