Turning A New Page: Rose Moon Books’ Success with Community Futures
For years, Natalie Appleton had a stickie note on her desk that read: BOOKSHOP.
After years of considering opening a bookstore, in the summer of 2025, Natalie did three things: First, she said aloud to a friend, “I am opening a bookstore.” Second, she began to devote the early morning to writing a business plan. Third, she contacted Community Futures North Okanagan about a business loan.
“In a matter of weeks, I had taken these steps that began to make it all real,” says Natalie. “Calling Scot was one of those moments when I thought, I am really going to do this.”
Scot McNair is the loans advisor at Community Futures North Okanagan.
After completing an 80-page initial business plan, Natalie reached out to Scot to ask how her projections looked and what to know about business loans. Natalie is a copywriter by trade and had written success stories about Community Futures lending clients in the past.
“I knew everything was riding on getting this capital to get started,” she says. “Scot was incredibly helpful about making sure I had considered everything in my financials, and he was very honest about what might not or not be possible.”
The amount that she needed to lease a space, buy a few thousand books, build shelves and invest in the Bookmanager inventory/ecommerce platform was “a little terrifying” she recalls, but, in moments of doubt, she would return to her plan, to the numbers, to another stickie note that said: I can trust myself. I have everything I need to succeed.
Also, more than once, she turned to Scot.
“I really felt like he was walking beside me. I could ask him about spaces I was looking at or other ideas, and he always took the time.”
Natalie’s original vision for her independent community bookshop was a 2,000-square foot space with plenty of room to feature Canadian books and host gatherings.
Now it was early fall 2025 and when it became clear that the perfect spot was not going to open up in time for Christmas, Natalie got another idea: a bookshop on wheels. Her hobby as a writer of novels had put her in touch with the owners of Fable Book Parlour in Revelstoke, which got its start in a converted 1974 Shasta trailer. It turned out Fable was planning to relocate, and willing to sell their beloved bookmobile.
“Almost immediately after getting off the phone with them, I reached out to Scot to see about a smaller ‘starter’ loan so I could purchase the trailer and about 700 books.”
The keychain for the book trailer says: ‘It’s never too late for a plot twist.’
The Rose Moon Books bookmobile made its debut in November at the downtown Vernon Frostival event, where it was “snowing sideways.”
“It was tricky keeping the books dry, but it was so much fun to see how that bookmobile made people’s eyes light up. You can’t be around it and not smile. I loved seeing the kids, especially, trotting in just so delighted, and then they would sit right down and read. There’s something so rewarding about being a part of someone enjoying a book.”
The part about towing the trailer, taking three hours to set up all 700 books from totes each time and keeping the sleet at bay proved challenging Natalie and the books and the trailer got through the holidays. Natalie discovered that as a retailer, the bookmobile wasn’t permitted at local artisan or farmer’s markets. By January 2026, she was even more determined to be brick and mortar so she and her customers could just open the door, and the books would be there.
“So many people said, ‘We love what you’re doing. We need this.’”
Vernon hadn’t had an independent bookstore selling new books since 2020, and no bookshop downtown for nearly two years by the time spring rolled around and Natalie was looking at a space on 29th Street.
“It was much smaller, but so much about it felt right.”
Namely, the location: near three coffee shops, Gallery Vertigo and the under-construction Cultural Centre.
The lease went ahead. The loan went ahead. Natalie got the keys in early May and opened the doors less than two months later, on July 2.
“The bookmobile gave us such a headstart with book publishers, and I was really lucky to have a star bookseller, Sam, who’d been helping out since the beginning.”
Fifteen shelves were built by a friend and other minor renovations took place while Natalie and Sam mapped out the sections and began to sort through thousands and thousands of books, first prioritizing BC and Canadian books, and books by indie presses that you can’t find in major retailers. Next was receiving, labeling and shelving hundreds of boxes of books, supported by many helping hands.
A few days before the public opening, friends, family and even MLA Harwinder Sandhu gathered on the eve of the June full moon, also known as the ‘rose moon’ to celebrate.
“It was so surreal, and so wonderful to thank all the people who played a part in some way, including Community Futures. This bookshop just would not have been possible without that support.”
“It’s still surreal,” she says, surrounded by charming vintage furniture and an ever-changing array of books that tell a story. “Every day, people say: ‘We are so glad you’re here.’”
Just a few months later, the bookshop has a steady stream of enthusiastic readers visiting to find books, talk books or even just smell the books and shelves. Rose Moon has also hosted several author readings and recently launched free quiet reading time and ‘Shut up and write’ sessions.
“There are so many special things that happen in community bookshops—the connections, the conversations, the happening upon books that kind of call out to you, it’s such a joyful place. I’m just so thankful to be a part of that.”
Are you considering opening or expanding your business? Explore how Community Futures North Okanagan uplifts local businesses through lending and a range of resources.
Community Futures North Okanagan recognizes the ongoing support of Pacific Economic Development Canada (PacifiCan).
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