Meet Lisa Lamberson | Co-owner of Bright Side Bookshop

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

Hi Lisa, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
My business partner Annette Avery and I lovingly refer to it as a “moment of temporary insanity”. The honest truth is we went from considering bookshop ownership to owning a bookshop in less than 2 months, so not a lot of process was involved. We jumped in and began learning and adjusting from there.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
My two businesses and sister stores of Mountain Sports Flagstaff & Bright Side Bookshop are founded on a CONNECTION TO COMMUNITY. Located in the heart of downtown Flagstaff we create a vibe that is warm and welcoming. Our doors are always open as a community space for locals and travelers alike. We celebrate our friends and neighbors and their involvement in our mountain town. I am most proud of the amazing crew of dedicated team members that choose to work with our companies. They are the face of our businesses and are delightful individuals that pride themselves in exceptional hometown service. It’s because of mentorship from my father, commitment from our employees and partnership from Annette that we find ourselves with two thriving business in Flagstaff.

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?
Wouldn’t that be fun, a week long staycation in Northern Arizona. We are spoiled to live in Flagstaff for the natural surroundings for hiking, biking, camping and snow sports. In winter I would love to go cross country skiing or snowshoeing at the Nordic Center and then catch a meal downtown at Shift or Atria. A fall day would be perfect for an afternoon in the changing aspen leaves up on the San Francisco Peaks and then a casual dinner at Red Curry or Sawadee Thai. Summer is for hiking and paddle boarding, so head out to Lake Mary or Oak Creek with a stop at our favorite canyon eatery of Indian Gardens. And any of these seasonal mornings would be wonderful to start out at Macy’s Coffee or Foret Coffee House. And I’d be remiss in not sharing my favorite places to shop in our lovely downtown… Flagstaff General Store, Rainbows End and Shoes and Such are easy stop-ins for any day.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My Mom and Dad deserve a shout out for their part in community building that has led to business ownership. I grew up in a deeply rooted “small town” family. With two entrepreneurial parents, my mother a realtor and my father a retailer, we knew no stranger. Authentic human connection and building of community was modeled for my brother and I as far back as I can remember. We would share open and supportive conversations about everyone and anyone we came in contact with. I was raised to the murmur of what some might see as gossip, but I’ve come to define it as community building and networking. We shared abundant love, friends, food and the ability to explore our natural surroundings. Because of this, I became dear friends with my business partner Annette Avery. And then long story short, years later we jumped into owning an Indie Bookshop together.

Website: https://www.brightsidebookshop.com/

Instagram: brightsidebooksflag

Facebook: BrightSideBookshop

Image Credits
Photos by Hannah Rose Gray and Lisa Lamberson