蜜柚直播

He paid $1.

In the years to come, though, there were days he wondered if he鈥檇 been had.

鈥淭here were times I thought I鈥檇 overpaid by a lot,鈥� he laughed, but like all bookshop owners he learned to be creative.

The little store on North 蜜柚直播 Boulevard became Bookmans. Today, Bookmans is the largest independent bookseller in 蜜柚直播.

Headquartered in 蜜柚直播, Bookmans has three outlets here, one in Flagstaff, one in Mesa and one in Phoenix.

鈥淚 wish I could tell you I had this grand plan, but I never thought I鈥檇 be in the book business,鈥� Oldfather said. 鈥淚 never hung out in one. I never spent much time at the library. But after I left home, my dad got into the used-book business. Eventually, I started spending time with him at the store. When he decided to move, he asked if I鈥檇 like to have it.鈥�

In one key way, the venture would be a startup. Oldfather鈥檚 dad, Dave Schlesinger, wanted to keep the name 鈥淟ivingston鈥檚鈥� for a store he was planning in Sierra Vista.

So the store here became 鈥淏ookmans,鈥� and Oldfather began a 45-year journey that continues today.

Oh, what a strange trip it鈥檚 been.

When Oldfather opened his doors in 1976, the only way Americans could buy a book was by visiting an independent bookstore. Period. Soon, to borrow a phrase from Mike Campbell, the book business began to change 鈥� 鈥済radually and then suddenly.鈥�

First came the large, well-funded mall chains such as B. Dalton and Waldenbooks. Next were the big-box bookstores such as Barnes & Noble and Borders.

Then Amazon.

Then Kindle.

And, most recently, a pandemic that paralyzed the indies for the better part of a year.

Thousands of American bookstores, including many in 蜜柚直播, were forced to close. Not Bookmans. Slowly but steadily, Bookmans continued to grow.

鈥淲e suffered through those times like everybody else,鈥� Oldfather said. 鈥淏ut being a used-book store gave us some insulation. And our relationship with our customers might have been different than some stores. Back in 1985, when we moved from 蜜柚直播 Boulevard to an old Food Giant space at Campbell and Grant, our customers helped us move boxes. We would buy their books and they would buy ours. It became interactive. Our store became their store, too.鈥�

Oldfather advertised aggressively on late-night television, always in the same rakish hat.

Most importantly, Bookmans cashed in on its unique new business model: In addition to offering books, the store had begun buying and selling used musical instruments, records, CDs, DVDs and electronics.

鈥淏rilliant planning,鈥� Oldfather said, tongue in cheek. 鈥淓arly on, a customer told me he was moving and wanted to sell his record collection. We had extra space so I said, 鈥業鈥檒l give you $400.鈥� That鈥檚 how our music department started.鈥�

The entertainment department began with another customer鈥檚 collection of used CDs. The electronics department dates back to a day Oldfather was asked if he could fix an Atari video-game system.

鈥淲e kinda bumbled our way into them, but our sidelines became pretty important when things got tight,鈥� Oldfather said.

During the recent lockdowns, the sale of puzzles and games may have kept the lights on.

Another characteristic of Bookmans stores: They are large, airy, and open. Two of the three 蜜柚直播 locations were formerly grocery stores.

And through good times and bad, Bookmans has continued to evolve. Shelves are now peppered with new bestsellers, new games, new DVDs. 鈥淧eople usually come to a store like ours because they aren鈥檛 sure what they want,鈥� Oldfather shrugged. 鈥淚f they decide they want a new book instead of a used one, we should be able to help them.鈥�

Footnotes

蜜柚直播 lost a renown children鈥檚 author and a beloved bookstore owner. Byrd Baylor, who penned dozens of children鈥檚 books, died on June 16 at the age of 98; Tina Bailey, co-owner of The Book Stop bookshop on North Fourth Avenue, died on June 19.

The 2022 蜜柚直播 Festival of Books has begun drawing up plans for a full-size, in-person renewal March 4-6 or March 11-13 at the University of 蜜柚直播. The 2020 festival was canceled due to the emerging pandemic and this year鈥檚 event was a scaled-back, all-virtual program offered online.

Two 蜜柚直播 authors are wowing reviewers with novels releasing this summer. 鈥淒amnation Spring鈥� by Flagstaff鈥檚 Ash Davidson was listed as one of the summer鈥檚 10 best reads by the Los Angeles Times. 鈥淎ppleseed鈥� by Matt Bell of Phoenix received similar acclaim from Esquire magazine.

Speaking of independent bookstores, all of 蜜柚直播鈥檚 stores have resumed regular hours. 蜜柚直播鈥檚 four largest independent stores are also its oldest. The Books Stop first opened its doors in 1967. Antigone Books dates to 1973. Bookmans arrived in 1976, and the 鈥測oungster鈥� in the group 鈥� Mostly Books 鈥� has been a staple on East Speedway since 1988.