diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 8b9966a..a369faf 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -39,6 +39,13 @@ npm start
 
 Now open http://localhost:3030 in your browser to begin exploring the API. From there we'll guide you on using tools such as Swagger and Postman to get meaningful experience interacting with APIs.
 
+## Configuration Options
+
+Configuration settings are managed using [Feathers Configuration](https://docs.feathersjs.com/configuration/readme.html). The options
+that you may want to adjust, depending on your usage, are:
+* `port` - HTTP port where the API is listening. Defaults to 3030.
+* `readonly` - If true, database cannot be modified (i.e. create, update, patch & remove operations are disabled). Defaults to false.
+
 ## Things That Power the Playground
 
 Beyond all the great libraries (which are mentioned within the [package.json](package.json), such as [Sequelize](http://sequelizejs.com/)), here are some of the crucial components and resources that made assembling with API Playground possible:
diff --git a/config/default.json b/config/default.json
index a94c731..3afa076 100644
--- a/config/default.json
+++ b/config/default.json
@@ -2,5 +2,6 @@
   "host": "localhost",
   "name": "Best Buy API Playground",
   "port": 3030,
-  "public": "../public/"
+  "public": "../public/",
+  "readonly": false
 }
diff --git a/src/hooks/index.js b/src/hooks/index.js
index 8d987f0..eb32192 100644
--- a/src/hooks/index.js
+++ b/src/hooks/index.js
@@ -1,10 +1,6 @@
 'use strict';
 
-// Add any common hooks you want to share across services in here.
-//
-// Below is an example of how a hook is written and exported. Please
-// see http://docs.feathersjs.com/hooks/readme.html for more details
-// on hooks.
+const errors = require('feathers-errors');
 
 exports.allowNull = function (options) {
   // convert all strings that are "null" to null
@@ -36,3 +32,10 @@ exports.wildcardsInLike = function (options) {
     });
   };
 };
+
+exports.errorIfReadonly = function (hook, next) {
+  if (hook.app.get('readonly')) {
+    return next(new errors.MethodNotAllowed('This HTTP method is not allowed when application is in read-only mode.'));
+  }
+  return next();
+};
diff --git a/src/hooks/validate-schema.js b/src/hooks/validate-schema.js
index 213813f..3e21765 100644
--- a/src/hooks/validate-schema.js
+++ b/src/hooks/validate-schema.js
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
-var Ajv = require('ajv');
-var errors = require('feathers-errors');
+'use strict';
+
+const Ajv = require('ajv');
+const errors = require('feathers-errors');
 
 function formatErrorMessage (err) {
   if (err.dataPath) {
diff --git a/src/services/categories/hooks/index.js b/src/services/categories/hooks/index.js
index d19f1d9..017f285 100644
--- a/src/services/categories/hooks/index.js
+++ b/src/services/categories/hooks/index.js
@@ -8,10 +8,10 @@ exports.before = {
   all: [],
   find: [includeAssociatedModels, globalHooks.allowNull(), globalHooks.wildcardsInLike()],
   get: [includeAssociatedModels],
-  create: [validateSchema(categorySchema)],
-  update: [validateSchema(categorySchema)],
-  patch: [],
-  remove: []
+  create: [globalHooks.errorIfReadonly, validateSchema(categorySchema)],
+  update: [globalHooks.errorIfReadonly, validateSchema(categorySchema)],
+  patch: [globalHooks.errorIfReadonly],
+  remove: [globalHooks.errorIfReadonly]
 };
 
 exports.after = {
diff --git a/src/services/products/hooks/index.js b/src/services/products/hooks/index.js
index 8c50842..fac5329 100644
--- a/src/services/products/hooks/index.js
+++ b/src/services/products/hooks/index.js
@@ -8,10 +8,10 @@ exports.before = {
   all: [],
   find: [includeAssociatedModels, findbyCategoryName, findCategoryById, globalHooks.allowNull(), globalHooks.wildcardsInLike()],
   get: [includeAssociatedModels],
-  create: [validateSchema(productSchema)],
-  update: [validateSchema(productSchema)],
-  patch: [],
-  remove: []
+  create: [globalHooks.errorIfReadonly, validateSchema(productSchema)],
+  update: [globalHooks.errorIfReadonly, validateSchema(productSchema)],
+  patch: [globalHooks.errorIfReadonly],
+  remove: [globalHooks.errorIfReadonly]
 };
 
 exports.after = {
diff --git a/src/services/services/hooks/index.js b/src/services/services/hooks/index.js
index 0d91907..b16cb78 100644
--- a/src/services/services/hooks/index.js
+++ b/src/services/services/hooks/index.js
@@ -8,10 +8,10 @@ exports.before = {
   all: [],
   find: [globalHooks.allowNull(), globalHooks.wildcardsInLike()],
   get: [],
-  create: [validateSchema(serviceSchema)],
-  update: [validateSchema(serviceSchema)],
-  patch: [],
-  remove: []
+  create: [globalHooks.errorIfReadonly, validateSchema(serviceSchema)],
+  update: [globalHooks.errorIfReadonly, validateSchema(serviceSchema)],
+  patch: [globalHooks.errorIfReadonly],
+  remove: [globalHooks.errorIfReadonly]
 };
 
 exports.after = {
diff --git a/src/services/stores/hooks/index.js b/src/services/stores/hooks/index.js
index f9a95b0..d0f1d1a 100644
--- a/src/services/stores/hooks/index.js
+++ b/src/services/stores/hooks/index.js
@@ -9,10 +9,10 @@ exports.before = {
   all: [],
   find: [findNearby, includeAssociatedModels, findServiceByName, findServiceById, globalHooks.allowNull(), globalHooks.wildcardsInLike()],
   get: [includeAssociatedModels],
-  create: [validateSchema(storeSchema)],
-  update: [validateSchema(storeSchema)],
-  patch: [],
-  remove: []
+  create: [globalHooks.errorIfReadonly, validateSchema(storeSchema)],
+  update: [globalHooks.errorIfReadonly, validateSchema(storeSchema)],
+  patch: [globalHooks.errorIfReadonly],
+  remove: [globalHooks.errorIfReadonly]
 };
 
 exports.after = {
diff --git a/src/services/utilities/index.js b/src/services/utilities/index.js
index 858afe8..daebb05 100644
--- a/src/services/utilities/index.js
+++ b/src/services/utilities/index.js
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ module.exports = function () {
     ]).then(dbValues => {
       res.send({
         uptime: process.uptime(),
+        readonly: app.get('readonly'),
         documents: {
           products: dbValues[0],
           stores: dbValues[1],
diff --git a/test/services/categories/create.test.js b/test/services/categories/create.test.js
index 66f7693..4dc20d2 100644
--- a/test/services/categories/create.test.js
+++ b/test/services/categories/create.test.js
@@ -6,10 +6,26 @@ var request = require('supertest');
 var categorySchema = require('../../../src/services/categories/schema');
 
 describe('categories service', function () {
+  beforeEach(function (done) {
+    app.set('readonly', false);
+    done();
+  });
+
   it('registered the categories service', () => {
     assert.ok(app.service('categories'));
   });
 
+  it('denies write attempts when in readonly mode', function (done) {
+    app.set('readonly', true);
+    request(app)
+      .post('/categories')
+      .expect(405)
+      .end(function (err, result) {
+        if (err) { assert.ifError(err); }
+        done();
+      });
+  });
+
   it('honors required fields when validating', function (done) {
     // Post a blank body so we get all the required errors
     request(app)
diff --git a/test/services/products/create.test.js b/test/services/products/create.test.js
index 4369e15..7f0760b 100644
--- a/test/services/products/create.test.js
+++ b/test/services/products/create.test.js
@@ -6,10 +6,26 @@ var request = require('supertest');
 var productSchema = require('../../../src/services/products/schema');
 
 describe('products service', function () {
+  beforeEach(function (done) {
+    app.set('readonly', false);
+    done();
+  });
+
   it('registered the products service', () => {
     assert.ok(app.service('products'));
   });
 
+  it('denies write attempts when in readonly mode', function (done) {
+    app.set('readonly', true);
+    request(app)
+      .post('/products')
+      .expect(405)
+      .end(function (err, result) {
+        if (err) { assert.ifError(err); }
+        done();
+      });
+  });
+
   it('honors required fields when validating', function (done) {
     // Post a blank body so we get all the required errors
     request(app)
diff --git a/test/services/services/create.test.js b/test/services/services/create.test.js
index 45deb47..fc3e34f 100644
--- a/test/services/services/create.test.js
+++ b/test/services/services/create.test.js
@@ -6,10 +6,26 @@ var request = require('supertest');
 var servicesSchema = require('../../../src/services/services/schema');
 
 describe('services service', function () {
+  beforeEach(function (done) {
+    app.set('readonly', false);
+    done();
+  });
+
   it('registered the services service', () => {
     assert.ok(app.service('services'));
   });
 
+  it('denies write attempts when in readonly mode', function (done) {
+    app.set('readonly', true);
+    request(app)
+      .post('/services')
+      .expect(405)
+      .end(function (err, result) {
+        if (err) { assert.ifError(err); }
+        done();
+      });
+  });
+
   it('honors required fields when validating', function (done) {
     // Post a blank body so we get all the required errors
     request(app)
diff --git a/test/services/stores/create.test.js b/test/services/stores/create.test.js
index d80f26d..4cf87cd 100644
--- a/test/services/stores/create.test.js
+++ b/test/services/stores/create.test.js
@@ -6,10 +6,26 @@ var request = require('supertest');
 var storesSchema = require('../../../src/services/stores/schema');
 
 describe('stores service', function () {
+  beforeEach(function (done) {
+    app.set('readonly', false);
+    done();
+  });
+
   it('registered the stores service', () => {
     assert.ok(app.service('stores'));
   });
 
+  it('denies write attempts when in readonly mode', function (done) {
+    app.set('readonly', true);
+    request(app)
+      .post('/stores')
+      .expect(405)
+      .end(function (err, result) {
+        if (err) { assert.ifError(err); }
+        done();
+      });
+  });
+
   it('honors required fields when validating', function (done) {
     // Post a blank body so we get all the required errors
     request(app)