Two Minute Tweaks w/ Lisa Uhrik

Franklin Fixtures

Two Minute Tweaks is a podcast from Franklin Fixtures, makers of high-quality retail display fixtures for bookstores, libraries, and specialty retail shops across America. Hosted by Lisa Uhrik, CEO of Franklin Fixtures and Executive Director of Plenty Downtown Bookshop, each two-minute episode offers inspiration you can apply right away to make your space more engaging, efficient, and people-centered. What began as a podcast for booksellers now inspires anyone shaping a space that connects people, whether it’s a bookstore, library, or retail shop of any kind. From merchandising and messaging to staffing and store flow, these bite-size insights help you create powerful people places that connect, perform, and grow.

  1. 2d ago

    Tweak #121: You're Going to Love This

    There is one thing retail experts predict AI is going to change that feels like a really good thing: real, authentic, personal service is going to become one of the things we value most. In this Two Minute Tweak, Lisa shares a powerful takeaway from the Women in Retail Circle Conference. Retail leaders are pointing toward a future where authentic, personal service matters more than ever. For bookshops, libraries, and small shops, that is deeply encouraging. The everyday moments, like remembering a name, asking about a family member, introducing neighbors, or making someone feel seen, are not small extras. They are the heart of the work. In a culture hungry for connection, the future of retail may belong to the people who know how to build relationships. And that is something independent shops already do beautifully.

    3 min

  2. Jun 3

    Tweak #120: Bookshops: This is Our Moment

    Independent bookshops are having a moment, and according to Kristen McLean, VP of Client Insights for Circana, it may be more than a moment. It may be the beginning of a true renaissance. In this data-packed Two Minute Tweak, Lisa shares highlights from a personal conversation with Kristen following this year’s American Booksellers Association meeting. The takeaway is encouraging: consumer interest is moving toward local, authentic, community-centered spaces, and independent bookshops are beautifully positioned to meet that need. From the pull toward downtowns and analog experiences to growing concerns about screen time and a renewed desire for connection, the cultural signals are pointing toward bookshops in a powerful way. At Franklin Fixtures, we’re seeing that same movement show up in a very practical way: a 400% increase in inquiries from people interested in opening bookshops or similar small, community-focused shops. For us, that kind of growth is a leading indicator. People aren’t just talking about community — they’re building places for it. Enjoy this data-packed tweak and take a moment to consider what this moment and this movement could mean for your shop, your community, and the work you’re doing every day.

    5 min

  3. Apr 29

    Tweak #119: Creating a Salon

    Lisa Uhrik and Steve Wax take a quick look at Linda-Marie Barrett’s guide, Creating a Salon: The Magic of Conversations That Matter, and the timely work of helping people gather for meaningful dialogue. For bookshops and community-minded hosts, pulling people together into conversation is brave, good, and sometimes delicate work. This episode explores how thoughtful setting, gentle structure, and intentional facilitation can help create safer, more productive gatherings in an age of loneliness and isolation. With practical insights on balancing openness with direction, managing dominant voices, and protecting vulnerable participants, this conversation offers useful tools and encouragement for anyone working to create conversations that matter. Click to listen now!

    3 min

  4. Apr 9

    Tweak #118: Visiting with Ann Patchett & the Parnassus Team

    A St. Patrick’s Day visit to Parnassus Books in Nashville, along with a conversation with Ann Patchett and managers Cat Bock and Andy Brennan, offered a profound insight into what community really means. When Parnassus’ leaders talk about community, they begin with each other. That spirit of mutual care, collaboration, and simple hospitality shapes the culture of reading they create for customers, authors, and the wider community. It’s a meaningful touchstone for all of us.

    3 min

  5. Mar 17

    Tweak #117: Storytelling as a Bookshop

    In this episode, Lisa Uhrik explores the idea of treating your whole bookshop the way a publisher would view a book – with a clear storytelling theme that begins in the windows and unfolds throughout the sections, displays, and customer experience. Featuring an example from Ashley Michael and Plenty, Lisa shows how storytelling can extend beyond display into a whole-bookshop approach that evolves month by month across the year. It’s a thoughtful way to guide curation, merchandising, and engagement while creating a more cohesive and memorable journey for your friends and customers.

    3 min

  6. Feb 25

    Tweak #116: Learning About Literacy

    Lisa Uhrik welcomes bookshop explorer (and literacy expert) Ken Bigger, who stopped at Plenty as store #252 on his country-wide tour. Their conversation takes a turn from travel stories to a big idea: literacy isn’t a simple “have it or don’t” trait. It’s a continuum that includes traditional reading and writing, plus digital and cultural know-how, and even skills like attention, empathy, and reflective thinking. That shift changes how we talk about the people we serve, and how we see the work happening across the counter every day. In this episode, Lisa asks a more human question than “Are you literate?”: What are you yearning to do, understand, or be part of next? Because when bookshops meet that yearning with the right book, conversation, or welcome, we grow community literacy in practical, meaningful ways.

    4 min

  7. Jan 21

    Tweak #115: A Good Bookshop is Never Done

    The quiet days after the holidays are a gift. They give us a chance to step back, notice what worked during peak shopping, and make thoughtful adjustments before the year truly begins. At Plenty Bookshop, the team used the week between Christmas and New Year’s to do just that—refreshing windows, shifting displays, and making small layout changes based on real bookseller observations. Those tweaks promise easier service, better flow, and stronger sales heading into 2026. The holidays give us powerful insights—if we pause long enough to notice them. Join Lisa for a quick reflection on small layout changes that can make your shop work better for everyone. 🎧 Listen now.

    3 min

  8. Jan 14

    Tweak #114: The Quiet Carpenters

    Hello Quiet Carpenter, I want to thank you. While reflecting on your work, I wrote you a poem. It’s from the future – 2036 – and it’s about the way you helped turn the world around, not with noise or spectacle, but with steady care. In this short reflection, I’m thinking about the people who stay. The ones who tend places, keep company, notice what needs attention, and quietly make room for others. I imagine a bookshop, a familiar rhythm, and the kind of work that doesn’t always make headlines, but makes a life and a community possible. This is a small thank-you to anyone doing that kind of work. The kind that builds continuity, offers hope, and shapes the future one thoughtful, persistent act at a time. 🎧 Click to listen now.

    3 min
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About

Two Minute Tweaks is a podcast from Franklin Fixtures, makers of high-quality retail display fixtures for bookstores, libraries, and specialty retail shops across America. Hosted by Lisa Uhrik, CEO of Franklin Fixtures and Executive Director of Plenty Downtown Bookshop, each two-minute episode offers inspiration you can apply right away to make your space more engaging, efficient, and people-centered. What began as a podcast for booksellers now inspires anyone shaping a space that connects people, whether it’s a bookstore, library, or retail shop of any kind. From merchandising and messaging to staffing and store flow, these bite-size insights help you create powerful people places that connect, perform, and grow.

Information

  • Creator
    Franklin Fixtures
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    124
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Two Minute Tweaks w/ Lisa Uhrik