Tag Archives: Wheatberry books

Books, Small Businesses, and Wheatberry

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Last week, I found myself in Chillicothe with a few minutes to kill and a desire to support Wheatberry, an independent bookstore in downtown. Chillicothe’s largest industry was recently lost with the closure of the paper mill and the hit to the economy makes me worry for small businesses like this one.

So I gave myself permission to go in and buy a book. One book and nothing more. There were other things I needed to be spending my money on  and, if you could see my collection of books waiting to be read, you would understand why I really didn’t need to be shopping at that moment. Yet I want to get into the habit of popping in more often and this was a good opportunity. 

I had a lovely time perusing their selection, starting in non-fiction with a quick stop in children’s before making my way to fiction. I have often thought I would like to meet whoever does the buying for this store because it’s like they are purposefully packing their shelves with exactly the kind of books I want to read. 

Given that my interests span so many genres, that’s not the easiest thing to do! 

At some point, I struck up a conversation with the nice lady running the store and we began talking about specific books. Turns out, she and I have similar reading tastes and she began recommending books. Finally, she asked if I like thrillers and if I had read anything by Lisa Jewell, thereby introducing me to a new author. When she endorsed Jewell’s book The Family Upstairs, I said “sold” and purchased it immediately.

There’s something to be said for the services you receive at small businesses. In this case, it’s clear that the staff at Wheatberry love books and are thrilled to talk about them, not just sell them.

The folks that run our small businesses are our neighbors. They support our communities. They share our interests. They might be our friends. They are contributing something value to our communities. 

Amazon might save you a few bucks but Amazon doesn’t support your local festivals or your kid’s ball team. Small businesses in your community not only will chip in to help with uniforms, they’ll show up and cheer too. And they may play it cool while you’re there buying but small business folk do a happy dance at every purchase!

The interaction made me think about how lovely it is to have an independent bookstore nearby. If we want a business to survive, we have to support them as much as we can and I need to do a better job with this. 

If there’s a small business in your community that you appreciate and wish to keep, get your friends on board, and all of you step up to support them in whatever way you can. They need us now more than ever. 

And if you’re in Chillicothe, Ohio and in the mood to find some books you never knew you couldn’t live without, stop by Wheatberry and let them hook you up!

This Weekend

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This weekend will be one of forced rest. I hurt my ankle earlier this week and ended up making an unscheduled trip to the chiropractor yesterday. While I can walk on it, it has some issues and I’ll be spending most of this weekend with that leg  elevated. 

So, I did what any rational book hoarder would do and popped into Wheatberry Books to pick up a page turner of a book to help me through my convalescence. Mind you, I could be crushed under the weight of my to be read pile but I didn’t have this book and that’s an important distinction.

I needed this book. 

I was dying to get out of the car and walk around Yoctangee Park. I yearned to soak in the Autumn colors and walk through the leaves but didn’t trust myself to walk far. So I had a car picnic and enjoyed the view.

Today I’ll make a little veggie tray for snacking, use up some stray potatoes in a soup, and spend the day with my feet kicked up and a book in hand. If I’m lucky, Scout will curl up next to me to make sure I don’t get lonely. 

He’s an attentive little caregiver.

Happy Saturday, friends! Stay home and be cosy or go forth and adventure. Whatever you do, enjoy your day!

Wheatberry Wonders

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There’s a bookstore in Chillicothe, Ohio that seems to be stocked with someone like me in mind. Every visit results in the purchase of some fantastic treasure.

It’s called Wheatberry and it’s located in the city’s historic downtown. This shop is small but packed with a vast variety of fiction and nonfiction. I try to stop in whenever I’m in the neighborhood and attempt to stick to a budget.

I was there yesterday and gave myself permission to buy one book. So I bought three books and a journal.

Ahem…. As you can tell, my self control is perfectly in check.

To be fair, everything I bought was something unique and possibly not found anywhere else. The above pictured Sean Dietrich book has been on my wish list for a while but I couldn’t find it at any other bookstore in my travels. I have become increasingly averse to buying from Amazon so I was thrilled to support an independent bookseller.

The clerk seemed genuinely happy for our business and had lovely things to say about my choices.

I tell you that to tell you this.

Amazon won’t sponsor your kid’s ball team or donate to your senior center. They don’t care about you or your town. They just like your money.

But when you buy from a small business, these people do a happy dance with every purchase. Not to mention, you’re supporting your neighbors and your community and the tax dollars stay right here.

So, if you think about it that way, supporting my local bookstore was the responsible thing to do!

The Shock Of A Bad Bookstore

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Bookstores are always my favorite places and the source of many souvenirs when I travel. Big stores, little stores, new and used bookstores and especially the ones with shop cats are all my favorites for different reasons.

I seek them out in my travels and never hesitate to support a local bookstore when given the chance. Each one has a different vibe, a unique personality. I like the used shops where I can expect to find the unexpected like some out of print novel with a gem of a cover. I also like the new ones with their comfy couches, carefully controlled lighting and selection of new books just waiting to be discovered.

Wheatberry in Chillicothe, Ohio is my closest bookstore and I always try to stop in if I’m in downtown. They focus on new books with just a small shelf of used in the backroom. It’s like whoever does their ordering knows exactly the kind of fiction and nonfiction I like and they always have the best selection of seasonal works to peruse.

My favorite regional chain is Tattered Cover in the Denver area. The fact I don’t live close enough to shop there regularly is one of life’s great disappointments. Their staff picks include a note card that describes why they like the book and the selection is divine. Maria’s in Durango, Colorado and Beyond Bedtime Books in Pittsburgh are favorites. There’s one called Little Switzerland Books and Beans that we stumbled into just off the Blue Ridge Parkway, convincing me that I can sniff out a bookstore nearly anywhere.

I could go on and on with recommendations.

That’s why it’s rare for me to leave one empty handed or to be annoyed in a bookstore. So far, I have found just two that I despise. Both make me claustrophobic and one was in Philadelphia during this last adventure.

It was a used bookstore with extremely tight walkways between shelves that was so cluttered with stacks of boxes, walking was difficult. Some rows were completely blocked by boxes stacked no less than three feet high. To make things harder, it was busy and passing a person in an aisle wasn’t possible in places so you just had to wait for people to move.

The place is a hoarder’s paradise. Actually, it looks like a book hoarder lost control of their obsession and hung out a shingle. The guy running the place reminded me of a little kid sitting in a fort made of books. 

It is not an exaggeration to say that I had a physical reaction to this place. My stomach turned continuous somersaults and I broke out into a sweat. I could hardly breathe even when the door was in sight. . To add insult to injury, prices written inside the covers were nearly illegible so it was hard to know if you were about to pay a dollar or seven or maybe a hundred. Who knew? 

The one redeeming quality here was the shop cat. I saw it once, luxuriating in a patch of sunlight. I knew I was struggling when I didn’t even stop to speak to the cat. I literally just scooted past and looked for the exit. 

I feel my blood pressure rising just telling you this crazy story because bookstores are supposed to feel like a vacation from the rest of the world rather than a reflection of the messy, terrible problems that lie beyond their front door. 

Also, I would like to note that in all the junk stores, antique malls and tiny shops in all the places I have been, none has brought on such a reaction. The other store I don’t like is in Columbus and it also makes me claustrophobic but I can usually hang in there long enough to find a book or two to bring home. In other words, it doesn’t make me want to puke!

We left this store and found ourselves walking past Christ Church. This was exactly the respite that I needed to recover and be ready to face the rest of the day. Come back in a couple of days and I’ll tell you all about this place that felt so steeped in history and so sacred, I could barely speak.

The Specialty Shops That Make Chillicothe Unique

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Yoctangee Park, Downtown Chillicothe

My home is in the country. My hometown is a village just a few miles down the road but I’m about 30 minutes from Chillicothe, a small city with a commercial strip for shopping and eating as well as a charming downtown. Their downtown isn’t large but they’ve done a nice job of making it pedestrian friendly and revitalizing it as a place to spend time and money.

They have the things you would expect like gift shops, trendy women’s clothing stores and florists but they also have a number of specialty stores that are not commonly found in small cities these days. Most places are fortunate to have a bookstore OR a sewing shop but they don’t have both. I’m always surprised that their downtown business and tourism organizations don’t seem to tell that story. I think it’s worth noting so here are a few specialty businesses you might find interesting and that make their downtown different than most.

You know that my favorite place is the bookstore. Wheatberry is a small independent bookseller that packs a ton of books into a very small space while keeping it light and bright with an uncluttered air. They love readers here and are enthusiastic for every book you buy.

My second favorite store is Apollo Records, an old school music store that’s filled with new and used records of a variety of prices. My entire collection of rare Flying Burrito Brothers albums came from here and I almost always find something special.

I haven’t been in yet but Grounded Plant Bar allows patrons to pot their own arrangements. The History Store has an enormous selection of specialty military and civilian miniatures along with books, maps, prints and local history gifts. Maggie’s Farm Aromatics uses natural ingredients to make custom items like candles and body scrubs smell pretty. 

Then there’s Rivers Bend Bicycle Shop, a traditional bike shop where you can buy your bikes and supplies and where they will work on your bikes too. E.M. Smith Jewelry is a high end local jeweler that’s been family owned since 1948. In addition to traditional jewelry sales, they offer repairs and even custom designs. 

If you sew, Old Town Fabric Shop sells everything you need for your next project. Chillicothe Sewing Center sells and repairs sewing machines – a lost art in these ultra disposable days we live in. 

If you’re artsy, Bernie and Maxx Stained Glass Studio can teach you how to make stained glass. They can also sell you supplies and even repair your stained glass pieces. They have a nice selection of locally made pieces you can just buy if you don’t wish to make your own. Plus, Nellie Dog Pottery and Paints allows you to paint your own pottery and canvas art. 

There are a few antique stores including Chillicothe Antique Emporium. In addition to selling antiques from a fabulous building, they have an old fashioned soda counter where you can pause for a treat AND there are pinball machines you can play!

Next door, Globe Furniture has been selling furniture, mattresses and home decor for well over a century.  They also are family owned and have a long tradition of selling quality merchandise in an era when everyone else sells prefab stuff from a box.

A music store did relocate from downtown to another part of the city. It’s pretty awesome because they sell instruments and music and even connect you with teachers for lessons. I interviewed the owner once and he talked about people buying instruments like guitars online only to learn they have to be assembled. BBB Music Center can do that for you. Better yet, just buy the instrument from them in the first place.

If you need a snack, Grandpa Joe’s Candy Store is one of the few chains you’ll find in downtown. Here you’ll be delighted by craft sodas, fudge, imported candies, and novelty games along with your favorite contemporary treats. Across the street, High Five Cakes is like stepping into a little pastel dollhouse filled with baked goods. Get a treat and sit in the window to people watch. Then go back to the counter and order a lovely little box of treats to take home.

There are a few places to eat but I’m partial to Carl’s Townhouse, a vintage diner with a counter as well as table service. Soups, burgers and homemade pies are popular items here.

Clearly, I’m not telling you about everything you’ll find in downtown Chillicothe but these are stores that you won’t find anywhere else. The fact they all exist within a few blocks of each other is uncommon and delightful. If you would like to explore Chillicothe, there’s a lot more to the area than just downtown shopping. The outdoor drama Tecumseh, museums, the historic Majestic Theater and the newest UNESCO World Heritage Site are right here! If you want to discover this place for yourself, click here for details.

Adventure Day Close To Home

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Yesterday was epic. I didn’t travel far or do anything expensive. Instead, I spent the day being a tourist in my own backyard in nearby Chillicothe, Ohio.

The truth is, I didn’t actually do anything I had planned. The original plan was to go for a walk, hit a car show and eat Donato’s plant based pizza at the park.

None of this actually happened.

The lovely thing about solo adventures is there’s no one to complain when you go off script. What’s even better is that off script is often where the magic happens.

I started my day at Adena Mansion and Gardens, the historic home of Thomas Worthington. He was Ohio’s sixth governor, a founding father of Ohio who did so many things in his lifetime that he and his home will require their own story this week.

Ten dollars buys you a guided tour of the home, admission to a museum and access to explore the grounds. Here you’ll learn about life in Ohio when the state was young, about the life and career of this important figure in our history, and about others like Tecumseh and Henry Clay who visited here.

After that I hit up downtown Chillicothe which has experienced a rebirth in recent years. There are several nice specialty shops and restaurants here and the business community has done a great job of advocating for themselves. They have made improvements in the historic downtown and worked hard to draw in visitors who have money.

Downtown was busy as there were a couple of events in town and some stores were taking advantage of the extra foot traffic with sales. I don’t enjoy crowds so I didn’t dwell here but having live music was pretty cool

I had lunch at Carl’s Townhouse which is a 1939 era dinner that began life at the New York World’s Fair. A quick grilled cheese and fries were just the ticket to provide sustenance for the rest of my day.

Then it was a stroll down the street to Apollo Records where I chatted with the owner about the Flying Burrito Brothers and an amazing up and coming artist named Charlie Crockett. I found a great vintage Aretha Franklin album and a Roseanne Cash that I didn’t know but literally purchased for the cool cover art.

Then it was up the street to Grandpa Joe’s Candy Store for a cold drink and dessert before heading to Wheatberry Books for a new title and a chat with the clerk. She was excited about the Wendell Berry book I had chosen. Wheatberry is a small independent bookstore but their shelves are lined with all the books I either own or want to own. They even have a robust section for kids. Here’s something I once wrote on Wheatberry.

After that, it was a stroll through Yoctangee Park to see the swans, geese and ducks. I followed the sound of music to the ice cream truck because it was hot and humid and everyone’s a kid when the ice cream truck is nearby!

Afterward, it was a quick browse through Chillicothe Antique Emporium where I located a bargain and chatted with the owner about the old time soda fountain he assembled and added to his store. He collected the various pieces over time and from places as far away as Georgia. It is well done and you can sit for a cold drink, some ice cream or fresh popcorn! Click here for something I once wrote about that place.

Chillicothe has a lot of history and there’s much more than you can accomplish in a day. Hopewell Culture National Historical Park is an interesting stop to learn about the mound builders of this region. It has become internationally renowned and we are lucky to have it. In the summer, the outdoor drama Tecumseh tells the story of the Shawnee Chief who promoted intertribal unity to push back against the US Expansion into tribal lands.

Chillicothe has carved out a place for itself for specialty interests. The bookstore and record shop are practically unicorns in this day and age but there are other specialties. There’s an old school bike shop, a music store, a stained glass shop, a dojo and a place that specializes in aromatherapy. Plus antiques, clothing boutiques and a place where you can buy specialty toy soldiers designed for the serious collector. There is literally something for everyone in a tidy space along downtown streets lined with some very cool architecture. There’s even a great bike path and tons more to see and do than you can fit into a day.

Along the way yesterday, I had meaningful conversations with people who I never imagined I needed to meet. My Adena docent was fantastic and I met two retirees on my tour who I could have chatted with for hours. They didn’t bat an eyelash when I struck up a conversation and, as it turns out, they were open to talk about topics that I’ve never quite been comfortable discussing with my own friends.

It was an enriching and rewarding day, not necessarily for what I did so much as who I met along the way. More on that soon. For now, know this: the price of admission will get you into a place. The act of learning comes from talking to people about things that are new to you, talking to people about things that are important to them, talking to people about things that enlighten you.

Always, always, always be open to hearing someone else’s perspective.

Check back this week for stories about yesterday including more on Thomas Worthington and his Adena.

Here’s one more picture from the park.

Isn’t it peaceful?