Today we’d like to introduce you to Sierra Gilkey.
Hi Sierra, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Tristan and I are both native to Southern Oregon and had dreamed of running a bookstore since we were in high school. Village Books has been in the community for several decades and was always our favorite place to browse and discover. The plan had been to work hard, save up, and eventually retire into a little shop of our own. We were elated to realize we had somehow amassed enough personal and professional resources to buy something right as our favorite ‘something’ hit the market.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Just as we started negotiating to purchase Village Books from the prior owners, property management notified them that their lease was going to end and a children’s arcade would be put in their spot. They were hoping to retire – moving that many books and shelves wasn’t an option. It was sell the business or liquidate it, and now there was a time limit for making that happen. We weren’t willing to let the move scare us away from achieving our dream, but were immediately thankful we hadn’t waited until our retirement to embrace the endeavor. Some books are much heavier than others and the collection was over a hundred thousand pieces – all moved in and out of a poorly ventilated U-Haul during the hottest part of the year.
We spent the next three years stuffing every nook and cranny of a space half the size of the first. Rental costs and restrictive square footage held us back from a lot of the projects we wanted to undertake. Regardless, we made it work and learned a lot about what we were doing and who we were doing it for.
At the time of writing this, we’re once again hauling the entire store up and across town during the hottest part of the year, to what we hope is our forever home. We’ve found a larger space with a super cool floor plan and, through some form of celestial magic, were able to buy it. This is an amazing new chapter for us and while we’re semi-permanently exhausted from all the lifting, our excitement over new possibilities keeps us on our feet and hauling away.
We’ve been impressed with Village Books of Southern Oregon, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
At Village Books we focus on recycling media through the community and expanding access to affordable reading. We take in gently used media in exchange for trade credit, and items we can’t sell are donated locally to little libraries or community organizations.
We have a large selection of hardcover, mass-market, and trade-size paperbacks ranging from common to collectible, as well as a modest selection of CDs, DVDs, and Blu-rays. Our trade credit program offers a discount on future items for those willing to part with their beloved shelf trophies. I especially love watching kids turn in their childhood titles for more challenging reads – seeing them learn the benefits of recycling, their excitement over a new written adventure, and their pride over their growth is incredibly fulfilling.
Meanwhile, we make space to host a growing variety of creations from local authors, artists, and generally crafty folk. From crochet and painted arts to locally sourced gems and jewelry, we’re eager to show off and promote what our community can create!
What matters most to you? Why?
Community has been the most important part of this project since the beginning. Since before the beginning, actually – since the Almeda fire took out half the valley and we walked through the ashes, noting piles of food, drinks, and clean clothes stacked neatly among intersections and public spaces. It can take a tragedy to truly comprehend how interconnected we are and how heavily we may rely on others. Supporting community means participating in the community and offering others whatever services you can provide which, in our case, is a safe place to explore the worlds of fantasy and fact. It’s a place to learn and grow for anyone willing to walk in and participate.
We firmly believe that bookstores support a healthy community and strive to keep our selection and activities interesting, engaging, and available. Reading contributes to creativity, comprehension, empathy, and so much more. It shouldn’t matter what your language, age, or interests are – you should have something to read!
In addition, we want to utilize our platform to showcase local artists and authors trying to achieve a dream of their own. Not everyone will get the opportunities we’ve had to build what we’re building. Our Village of people is always growing and we’re making this to support and celebrate each other.
Pricing:
- Used Books at half of cover cost
- Bargain Books at $0.50 -1.00 ea
- New Books at 75% of cover cost
Contact Info:
- Website: https://villagebooks.biz
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/villagebooksofsouthernoregon?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsi=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093157176932
