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The Book Shop

For nearly 10 years The Book Shop has been open in the same location in the Green Valley Mall.

Owner Corrine Maxwell had retired from a life of book selling, but felt that Green Valley needed another bookstore.

Her suspicions were confirmed when she opened.

"We had people coming in even when we were setting up," she says. "It was really wild."

Maxwell has owned and worked in many bookstores, the first of which in 1978 in Upper Michigan at a Book Rack franchise.

"In the early 80s, recycling made book exchanges very popular," says Maxwell.

"There was a kind of 'share your reading' movement."

Paperbacks, she says, started circulating in the Civil War to young soldiers and were provided by the government to servicemen in World War II.

Keeping with this tradition, The Book Shop regularly donates books to soldiers serving in Iraq.

Recently four boxes of about 30 books each were sent overseas.

One of the servicemen, in particular, was very grateful for this gift.

Saved his bone

As Maxwell was told, this soldier was carrying a book in his pants pocket when he was shot in the leg.

The book, while it didn't stop the bullet, prevented his bone from shattering.

"We were so excited to be doing something good," Maxwell says.

In fact, The Book Shop does a lot of donating. Many books go to the prison, the Salvation Army and Veterans' hospitals.

"I don't care where you donate as long as you donate wherever the need is," says Maxwell.

The staff enjoys books and readers alike, according to Maxwell.

They feel that the atmosphere in a bookshop should be more relaxed, and so do they.

Monica Tilley has been working at The Book Shop for eight years and Sandy McGarry for six.

Looking for quality

"We look for quality, not quantity," says Maxwell.

This includes audio books as well as women authors, Westerns, modern and historicals, suspense, mysteries, and many other fiction novels.

The store also carries mysteries, regional works, award-winning authors, original cards, non-fiction, inspirational, crossword, you name it.

In addition, The Book Shop carries a "cream of the crop" variety of children's books, including the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew as well as beautifully illustrated regional books.

Rental program

You can rent the latest hardcovers for 10 days.

It seems to be a popular option among Green Valley residents--there are usually between 50 and 75 books out as rentals at a time.

Another option is the paperback exchange, where high quality pre-read paperbacks can be traded in for store credit.

If you are a book lover, it is easy to become lost among the great variety of titles in The Book Shop.

The store does a lot of special ordering, but does not deal in rare books.

The Book Shop also features hand-carved, brilliantly painted Oaxacan carvings in a menagerie of shapes.

Carved from copal wood, which is found only in Mexico, these whimsical figures are signed by the artist.

The store also hosts local authors' book signings, featuring authors from all over Southwestern Arizona, including Tucson.

They also provide books for local reading groups at a discount.

"We may be small," says Maxwell, "but we're big on customer needs."

The Book Shop is located in the Green Valley Mall next to Busy Bee printers at 231-B W. Esperanza.

It is open Monday through Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Call 625-1995 for more information.

editorial@gvnews.com | 547-9737