The Haven Bookstore recently wrapped up its’ first year of business in Pampa at the end of August. Owner Brittany Taylor celebrated the milestone with a book sale earlier this week on Labor Day, which offered patrons a canvas tote-bag full of used books for just $20.
Taylor and her two daughters operate the bookstore on weekends, which has been a family hobby and their happy place for the last year.
“Between me and my daughter, we are going to be open Saturdays unless there is a swim meet. I’m also trying to pick a weekday (to be open) that would be best for everybody,” Taylor shared.
Since opening last August, the store has had a change in location and has built a friendly relationship with local charities, organizations and reading enthusiasts.
The bookstore first opened in the strip mall located behind First Bank & Trust on Hobart before making the move to their downtown location at 120 W. Kingsmill, Suite 202 at the end of January. It was a monumental task for Taylor to move and organize thousands of books at the new location.
“It took me a whole month. Most of December and all of January we were closed down for the move,” Taylor said.
Taylor sources her large collection of books from local donors and through book-hunting, which is also a hobby of hers.
“We take a lot of donations. I learned that the Library is no longer taking donations for the year until after their Library Sale in October, so until then Tralee takes them and holds them for me. I get to go through them (donations) and choose what I want for the store,” Taylor said.
“When I first posted on Let it All Out in Gray County on Facebook that I was opening a used bookstore, people started bringing them (books) to me too. So I have this huge room full of used books.”
While the majority of her used books are locally sourced, Taylor enjoys going book-hunting and will occaisionally purchase new titles from publishers as well.
“I like book hunting when I have the extra funds to do so. It is a hobby of mine. There are people who read, people who write down books to read, and then there are people who just buy books- I’m all three of these. It’s so interesting because you never know what you are going to get. I also order new books from publishers when possible,” she said.
Taylor will also order specific books for customers who ask.
While most of the space in Taylor’s store is designated for used books, she also dedicates a shelf for new books and a shelf for local authors such as Kendra Albert, Jody Thomas, D.R. Meredith, Jefferson Marshall and more.
“Kendra Albert (of Pampa) wrote a poetry book. It’s really good, I love her. She has been really helpful with the bookstore. She also runs Evergreen’s Little Free Library (2431 Evergreen). Her and her children put a lot of effort into that,” Taylor explained.
“We also have Jody Thomas, she’s out of Canyon. She’s our National Best Seller and she has written a ton of Western Romance books, they are wonderful. We have D.R. Meredith who writes mysteries and was from the Amarillo area. We have Dawn Taylor Wells, she wrote Wrong Place at the Right Time. She is a licensed counselor in Amarillo and graduated from WT. We also have Jon Mark Beilue who wrote for the Amarillo Globe News as well,” Taylor said.
“A little more local to the Pampa area, we have Jefferson Marshall- who used to work at the WELL as a tutor. He wrote these children’s books, they are about state parks in Texas. They’re wonderful. Shawn Taylor illustrated the cover and the pictures (for Marshall’s books). Val Conrad is local to Pampa and is a nurse practictioner in Dumas. She wrote the series Medical Examiner Investigator and it follows forensics kind-of like Dexter. And of course, don’t forget to mention yourself,” Taylor said to The Pampa News. (She was referring to my own children’s book, Night Song, which is available on Amazon and will be available at The Haven Bookstore in the coming weeks.)
While cash is preferred, Taylor is always willing to work with her customers so that they can share in her joy of reading. At times, she is willing to discount books for reading enthusiasts and is also willing to trade.
“Some people come in here who can afford the cover price and have no problem with paying it. Some people come in here that really want to read and can’t afford it. I get that, that’s why I opened a bookstore- I love reading,” she said.
“Sometimes people come in and want to bring me things to trade. As long as they bring me things I can sell, I’m cool with that. I give them half of what I would sell it for as store credit.”
In addition to being flexible with pricing, Taylor also has what could be called a Build-A-Book for patrons to write and build themselves as an ongoing scrapbook project. People can add photos, articles, dried flowers and more.
“I have pens, crayons, scrap, tape and paper. You might even find some pictures of your relatives up here,” Taylor said.
In the upcoming year Taylor wants to finish organizing her store and start a Take-A-Book, Leave-A-Book program. She also wants to decorate the bookstore with a whimsical theme.
“I want to get some netting and add some flowers and braided vines hanging from the edges of the bookshelves. I want you to walk in and it feel like you’re in an enchanted forest.”
The Pampa News would like to congratulate Brittany and her daughters on their first year in Pampa, and we hope to see you here for many more.
