Oly Reads discussion

Hi folks! When you are out indulging in book buying, what are your favorite places to go, local or otherwise? And is there anyplace at all in Lacey to buy books?

I love Orca and Browser's Books downtown. I find the Mystery Bookstore a little chilly and intimidating for browsing.
But, I must admit, I will buy books anywhere. I prefer to support local stores, but give me a gift card for Borders and I won't complain.
Do the books at the Paperback Exchange smell okay? My experience with exchanges is that you get a lot of cigarette smokiness along with the books.

Depends on if it is a planned book acquiring trip or not. Planned = Borders, Barnes & Noble, Orca. Spur of the moment is quite often just what is nearest at the time it hits me = Orca (just blocks from home), Target, Fred Meyers, Goodwill, Value Village, and anywhere that has a book rack.

I know that smells can be problematic especially if you have allergies but putting books in a paper bag with crumpled newspaper overnight or for a few days will remove or reduce the smells. This also works for icky sneakers. I have to leave my new National Geographic open for a day or two to get the strong ink smell to dissipate so that I can read them and don't get me started on perfume samples in magazines! Gag, wheeze, choke.

Orca is my bookstore of choice, but I also enjoy Last Word Books. Browsers is okay, but there's one woman that works there that freaks me out a little bit. I think she might be the owner. Browsers has a lot of obscure books that you are unlikely to find elsewhere. I have only been into the mystery bookstore once, but I found it intimidating for some reason. Same deal with Fireside, though I have no idea why. I think with Fireside it's entering that strange building with businesses for old ladies everywhere. I've heard from a lot of people that Fireside is a really nice bookstore, so I'm going to give it another chance soon.

It's that feeling of being constantly observed that skeezes me out at the mystery bookstore, and probably your issue with Fireside, too. It's so small. But at Fireside, I know the owner, and the decor is good, too, unlike stark white Mystery Books.

I think that is part of it. It would probably make a difference if I knew the owners, so maybe I'll make that effort the next time I go in.

Jane, the owner at Fireside, is really great. She gives me, actually she gives the Friends of the Olympia Library, a 10% discount on the books I get for the Teen Book Group.
Which is great, but I can't imagine the profit margin is that big to start with on book sales. Hopefully the fact that I'm getting 15 at a time, and doing it every month, helps make up for her generosity.

Yeah, you were the one that made me think I needed to reconsider my stance on Fireside, Jackie. Plus, I have another friend who is part of the Fireside book club, and she says it's great.