Saying Goodbye to a Local Used Books Store

Inside there are two narrow aisles of bookshelves, booked to the ceiling, a surprising account of most fiction and nonfiction sections, and even little reminders for daydreaming browsers.

With wires, stepstools, labeled boxes, and a stereo, I feel like I’m walking through a treasure box for literary nerds. I enjoyed scanning each level, remaining open to surprises that I might stumble across.

From Google Reviews, locals share that the shop is owned by an old retired guy. When I visited, I felt comfortable being in his presence, asking where the poetry section is, and commenting on his collection here and there. I found him to be a very kind and thoughtful man, letting a few of us browse past 4 pm and responding with familiarity on any book title we tossed his way.

The bookstore as a whole is bookended with science fiction sections. The extra-bargain dollar section in the back has a plethora of what I would refer to as a vintage literary subscription, the Asimov Science Fiction Magazine, a booklet of science fiction novellas, short stories, and poems by various authors since 1977. My eyes drooled over each cover, a work of art on its own. And in the front nook of the shop, a platform for quite a sci-fi collection.

Putting my bright eyes aside for what I was yearning for, I brought home a pocket-sized paperback: selected poems by the English romantic, Shelley. I found the book in the back, soaking up the sun, and after flipping through the pages, I connected to the elegant phrases that eased my soul. I also wore my cat hat and thought that maybe in another dimension, I was a lazy cat in a bookstore just like this, browsing spines and savoring rhymes. 

I spent 50 cents that day but I carried out more meaning, memories, inspiration, and connection than I had bargained for. Best wishes Bargain Books, may we see your character thrive on the digital side.

April 24, 2023