People Underestimate the Value of a Good Ramble

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Book Heaven

I've found it!

Book Heaven is not just a myth, it's a real place and I've been there.

OK, it's not really called Book Heaven. It's called The Book Center, which is a super boring name for such an amazing place, so I felt the need to re-name it.

I had to take these pics, cause I was just so completely overwhelmed by so many books, piled floor to ceiling down these narrow rows, just packed into this little shop. Honestly, my little pictures don't really do the place justice.

My boss found out I was going to Rochester last week and she told me about this place, in Spencerport, which is a cute, cute little village with shops and other quaint stuff. Including this independent used book store.

I'm a fan of places where books live, like libraries and book stores. Especially used book stores.

There's just something about all those lovely pages with lots of lovely words written on them all in one place, just waiting for someone to read them.

I read or heard this quote somewhere recently and it's perfect for this place: "All books wait. They sit patiently on their shelves collecting the most refined dust until their cover is opened and the pages are turned by the proper person."  I feel a little sad, cause I can't remember where I found it, so I can't give credit to whoever it was that said it first. I almost think it might have been an episode of some old show from the 80's that I was watching. But I'm not sure.

In any case, I almost wasn't able to get there, but on the last day I was in Rochester, I got together a group of like-minded friends (well, all my real friends are like-minded) and we ran out there for a bit. We only had about an hour and I didn't have too much cash on me, but I still managed to come out with eight books.

I only wish I'd had more time. 

5 comments:

j said...

If your pictures aren't doing it justice, I can't imagine how perfectly beautiful it must be. I think I just melted. #love

Joanne M. Firth said...

Amazing place.

Toni said...

It was really awesome. I'm seriously considering another trip back there when I can spend more time. It's probably only about an hour's drive and it would be worth it.

My pictures only show you two aisles, this place was like a rectangle, with two long aisles across the front and back and then about 8 shorter aisles running between them, all with books packed floor to ceiling like that. There was a table stacked with books that were all on sale for under 19 cents. I should have taken a picture of that.

There was some organization, but just enough. Too much organization would have taken the fun out of it.

Jessica said...

I have lived in Spencerport my whole life, and I have fond memories of riding my bike into the town 20 years ago and buying a new book or comic. Love that place

Toni said...

If only I'd known that book store was there sooner, I'd have moved to Spencerport myself.