Wayside Select Books & Art in Osoyoos.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/Dan Williams
May 29, 2022 - 6:07 PM
A new book store in Osoyoos is aiming to prove there’s a strong appetite to read stories the old fashion way.
Dan Williams and his wife co-ordinate waste-prevention programs and were looking for a way to better fund those initiatives.
As a book-lover, he decided to try and generate revenue by creating a space that would be appreciated by other bookworms.
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So earlier in May, he launched Wayside Select Books & Art as a non-profit.
“The word ‘select’ is kind of like our code, to let people know these second-hand book are in extremely good condition and marketable,” he said.
The store just celebrated its grand opening May 28. It's collection is mostly higher-quality second-hand books which includes all categories but most common among them are non-fiction titles, Williams said.
“Book stores are still a great place to come in and talk about stuff,” he said. “They’re a repository of ideas and thoughts. And people have strong feelings about the books they like.”
Williams also remembers video stores as dynamic social hubs where great conversations were often had and although that business model has become nearly obsolete, he wants his store to add that kind of space to the community.
Small audiences will be able to gather in the store for book readers, spoken word poetry, and unplugged musical performances.
“We want Osoyoos to be not just an arts town, but a book town,” Williams said, also mentioning the other book store in town, The Happy Paper Parlor.
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Most books at Wayside cost $5 but some of the more sought-after titles have a price tag of $10.
The shop also sells local artwork “at competitive prices,” and many pieces have sold the day they arrived, he said.
The store is run by volunteers, so once the monthly lease has been paid, nearly all of the other revenue is donated towards the charitable efforts, he said.
Visit Wayside at 8317 Main St. in Osoyoos – no need to book ahead.
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