BUSINESS
Local book lovers who take pleasure in perusing used paperbacks, or who seek to become re-acquainted with a favourite hardcover are in luck.
Rose Gerspacher is in the process of opening the Painted Bird Bookshop in the Parkland Mall. She’s currently bringing order to a collection of around 20,000 titles that she’s picked up over the past five years in the Okanagan Valley.
“A lot of the books I have, because I worked in used books, ‘I went oh, I know that people look for that, I’m buying that,’” said Gerspacher.
Gerspacher says the Painted Bird will primarily deal in used books, but will also have new books available too. She explains, however, that there’s an allure to used books, especially when they’re gathered together in a used book shop, where one can hunt down an elusive title, find something that appeals to one’s sense of nostalgia, or simply pick up an armful of reading entertainment.
Gerspacher says used books will be accepted on trade-in depending on whether or not she can use them.
“I’ll have a look at them and, if I can use them in the store, I’ll give you a dollar amount based on half of what I can sell it for,” said Gerspacher. “And when you’re buying, you can use your trade credit towards half the price of purchase.”
Asked what books she likes to collect for herself, Gerspacher said she had particular affinity for Canadian classics published by McClelland and Stewart.
“I would love to be able to read all of these early Canadian books from the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s,” said Gerspacher.
In addition to the commercial side of the bookshop, Gerspacher also wants to get a writer’s group going.
“It’s kind of a group that would be directed by the people that come,” said Gerspacher, adding she’s belonged to writers groups in the past. “We always did a free-write, 12 to 15 minutes and then a bit of reading. And then people come up with ideas on other writings. But usually less than two hours once a week.”
Currently, Gerspacher aims to have the Painted Bird open seven days a week – 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday to Friday, 10 am. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.
For more information, stop by the Painted Bird or call 778-212-2539.