CallataGuidesBusiness phone system for book stores in Kansas
42 book stores operated in Kansas in 2023. Where they are, how big their teams are, and what phone service costs them.
- Establishments
- 42CBP 2023
- Employees
- 510mid-March 2023
- Per 100k residents
- 1.4U.S. 1.7
- State rank
- 38th of 51by count
Book stores in Kansas by the numbers
The Census Bureau counted 42 book stores in Kansas in its 2023 County Business Patterns (NAICS 451211). They employed 510 people in mid-March and reported $9,297,000 in annual payroll. That is the 38th highest count among the 51 states and DC with published figures. Book stores make up 0.06% of the 76,139 business establishments in the state.
Per 100,000 residents (2024 estimate) Kansas has 1.4 book stores, 14.6% below the national rate of 1.7.
| Measure | Kansas | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Establishments | 42 | 5,629 |
| Mid-March employees | 510 | 48,997 (high noise) |
| Annual payroll | $9,297,000 | $1,132,707,000 (moderate noise) |
| Employees per establishment | 12.1 | — |
| Payroll per employee | $18,229 | — |
| Establishments per 100,000 residents | 1.4 | 1.7 |
Census County Business Patterns 2023 (mid-March employment; annual payroll). Employees and payroll flagged high-noise are shown but not used in the text. Residents: Census Vintage 2024 estimates.
Kansas's largest markets for book stores
Census published bookstore counts for 5 metro or micropolitan areas that include part of Kansas. The largest is Kansas City, MO-KS, with 21 establishments (a multi-state area; its count covers every state it spans). Single-state metro and micropolitan areas account for 50% of the statewide total; the rest are outside any published area or in areas Census suppressed.
| Area | Establishments | Employees | Per 100k residents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas City, MO-KS | 21 | — | 0.9 |
| Wichita, KS | 10 | 179 | 1.5 |
| Topeka, KS | 5 | 41 | 2.1 |
| Manhattan, KS | 3 | — | 2.2 |
| Salina, KS | 3 | — | 5.1 |
Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023; population from Census Vintage 2024 estimates.
Team sizes at book stores in Kansas
55.0% of Kansas's book stores with employees had fewer than five people in March 2023, compared with 49.8% nationally. 75.0% had fewer than ten. At that size the phone is shared, so routing (who rings, when, and what happens after hours) matters more than the number of desk phones.
| Employment size | Establishments | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–4 employees | 22 | 55.0% | 49.8% |
| 5–9 employees | 8 | 20.0% | 21.7% |
| 10–19 employees | 6 | 15.0% | 14.2% |
| 20–49 employees | 4 | 10.0% | 12.9% |
| 50 or more employees | 0 | 0.0% | 1.4% |
Employment-size classes count establishments by mid-March 2023 employment. Establishments with no March employees are excluded from the size classes, so shares are of establishments with employees. Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023.
Why the phone matters for book stores in Kansas
Independent bookstores take calls about special orders, events and stock. Personal service is part of what they offer. That holds for book stores in Kansas as much as anywhere.
Typical inbound and outbound calls for book stores in Kansas:
- A school calls about a bulk order.
- A customer calls to order a book.
- The store calls a customer when an order arrives.
What book stores text about
Bookstores text special-order notices.
Texting from a local number in Kansas requires carrier registration (10DLC), a one-time $49 fee on Callata.
What a phone system costs a bookstore in Kansas
Book stores in Kansas average 12.1 employees, so the comparison uses a 12-person team. On a per-user plan that headcount sets the bill: $299.40 a month on Ooma Office Pro or $360.00 on RingCentral RingEX Core at list price (checked September 28, 2026). Callata comes to $239.00 a month for 12 users ($99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user), below both.
Over a year, that is $1,452 less than RingCentral for a bookstore in Kansas of that size. Annual contracts lower some competitors' prices, so compare the plan you would actually sign.
| Provider (plan) | Pricing basis | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Callata (Callata Office) | $99 incl. 5 users, $20 per extra user | $239.00 | $2,868.00 |
| Quo (Starter) | $19.00 per user | $228.00 | $2,736.00 |
| Nextiva (Core) | $23.00 per user | $276.00 | $3,312.00 |
| Ooma (Office Pro) | $24.95 per user | $299.40 | $3,592.80 |
| Dialpad (Standard) | $27.00 per user | $324.00 | $3,888.00 |
| RingCentral (RingEX Core) | $30.00 per user | $360.00 | $4,320.00 |
Competitor prices are each vendor's published month-to-month list price per user for its lowest plan that includes business calling and texting, checked September 28, 2026: Quo Starter $19, Nextiva Core $23, Ooma Office Pro $24.95 (Essentials excludes texting; one-time $29.95 activation not included), Dialpad Standard $27, RingCentral RingEX Core $30 ($20 billed annually). Prices exclude taxes and fees and may change; annual contracts lower some competitors' prices.
Area codes in Kansas
Kansas has 4 geographic area codes in service according to NANPA. Callata includes up to 3 local numbers, so a bookstore can hold a number in more than one of them.
| Area code | Exchanges | Time zone | In service since | Overlay with |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 785 | 727 | Central and Mountain | 1997 | none |
| 620 | 705 | Central and Mountain | 2001 | none |
| 913 | 533 | Central | 1947 | none |
| 316 | 340 | Central | 1947 | none |
Exchanges are NANPA-assigned central office codes (NPA-NXX) in the rate centers matched to the area's named places. Source: NANPA utilized code and NPA reports.
How Callata works for book stores in Kansas
Callata is a business phone system priced at $99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user. Callata Office includes up to 3 local business numbers, unlimited inbound calling, 1,500 pooled outbound US and Canada minutes per user each month, a browser softphone that can also ring your cell, voicemail with transcription, call recording with AI summaries, business-hours routing and E911 on every number.
Porting a number you already use in Kansas is free, and business texting is available once the carrier registration (10DLC) is approved; the registration carries a one-time $49 fee. Which specific numbers are open in a given area code depends on carrier inventory at the time you sign up.
AI agents are optional: an AI receptionist or scheduler can pick up when the team is busy or closed, take a message, send a text or email, or transfer the call. They draw on prepaid AI minutes ($0.25/minute), disclose that they are AI, and outbound AI calls require prior consent and are limited to 8am–9pm.
Frequently asked questions
How many book stores are in Kansas?
42 in 2023, according to Census County Business Patterns. They employed 510 people in mid-March.
Which Kansas metro area has the most book stores?
Kansas City, MO-KS, with 21 establishments in 2023.
What does a phone system cost a 12-person bookstore?
$360.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core or $299.40 on Ooma Office Pro at month-to-month list prices (checked September 28, 2026); $239.00 on Callata ($99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user).
Do I need to register to text customers from a Kansas number?
Yes. US carriers require business texting from local numbers to be registered (10DLC). On Callata the registration is a one-time $49 fee, and texting turns on once it is approved.