Tuesday, Aug. 03, 2010
Summer reading
Parkside Books merges with Prospero’s
Emily Jarrett, Journal Staff
Julie Scheidegger, the Journal
A specific book eludes a customer, but not Beth King, Prospero's Parkside Books partner, who finds it among the stacks at the used book store in Blue Springs. The store is located at 208 N. Missouri 7 Highway, Blue Springs.
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closeWith outside temperatures hitting the high 90s, the coolest place to be in Blue Springs might be Prospero’s Parkside Books.
Tucked away in a strip mall on Missouri-7 Highway, Prospero’s Parkside Books is a quiet, cool place for book-lovers of all kinds. Bookshelves crowd the recently renovated store with paperback and hardcover books stacked seemingly haphazardly on every available space. At the counter, Beth King a partner at Prospero’s Parkside, stands talking with a regular customer.
“I was looking for the new Nora Ephron book, but I can seem to find it,” the customer says, glancing around at the stacks of books that crowd the store.
“I know right where that is,” King said with a smile. “Let me show you.”
“We’re still a bit disorganized,” King says after the customer leaves with her newly purchased book. “But we’re getting there.”
King previously co-owned Parkside Books with a friend until 2006.
“She decided she wanted to travel and spend more time with her grandkids so we put the store up for sale,” King said. “Will (Leathem, co-owner of Prospero’s Books located in Westport) came in to see about buying our inventory. He and I got to talking and I talked him into buying out the other share of the store,” she added with a laugh.
Parkside Books underwent a renovation and expansion, adding new books, music and movies to their already large collection.
“I told Will, there are so many possibilities out here,” King said. “There aren’t many used books stores around anymore – many of them have had to close recently – and I think more people are starting to look at places like ours, rather than a big box store, because we can offer a better deal.”
Aside from discounted prices, Prospero’s Parkside also offers book trades. Customers can bring in books they no longer want and trade them for credit.
“The credits can be used for up to 50 percent off the purchase price,” King explained.
Though what sets Prospero’s Parkside apart from other book stores is the service, King said.
“I know a lot of our customers by name,” she said with a smile. “We have a lot of regulars and it’s nice for them to come in and visit for a while. I have one who comes in every month and she fills up a big bag of books to last her until the next month. I hope to keep that tradition of getting to know our customers going.”
Another feature the store offers are free children’s books for children under 6 years old.
“We get a lot of children’s’ books here. They seem to multiply like hangers in a closet,” King said with a laugh. “So we let them take a free book from one of our book baskets. We want to encourage kids to read.”
Prospero’s Parkside also offers adult incentives too, including teacher and student discounts and beginning soon, First Friday, which will feature local artists’ work in the store and live music.
“We just want the store to be a great, local place for Blue Springs resident to shop at,” King said. “Keeping local business alive is very important to us, especially since we’re a used book store.
“I think it’s about connecting with our customers, making them feel at home and encouraging them to keep reading.”
Prospero’s Parkside Books is located at 208 M-7 Highway. Business hours are 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday and 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday. For more information, call 816-224-0962 or go to www.parksidebooks.com.
To reach Journal reporter Emily Jarrett, call 816-282-7018 or e-mail ejarrett@bluespringsjournal.com.
