Wednesday, May 28, 2008

"Before Ebay, before Amazon, There Was Logos Books & Records"


LOGOS BOOKS & RECORDS in Santa Cruz, California is nearing it's 40th anniversary as the "premier buyer and seller of books and music on the Central Coast."  They have grown from a small one-room store to a two-floor, 11,000 square foot building with over two hundred and fifty thousand used books, records, CDs and DVDs.  Thank you to Becky Levine for pointing recommending them!  If she hadn't, I would have had to, because my big brother works at Logos, and he is one of my heroes.  (Hi, Greg!)  Most all the employees at Logos wear the requisite Santa Cruz uniform of gothic black-- Greg wears Hawaiian shirts.  Love that guy.

With all of us being increasingly committed to a greener life and a smaller footprint on the earth, I didn't want our celebration to end without recognizing the critical role that used bookstores play in our world.  As Becky and I can both attest, Logos' children's section is large, well-organized, home to both classics and contemporary works.  These books are accessible to kids and families who may not be able to shop at a retail store.  And Logos buys books every day of the week.  They've been in the recycling business a long time!  Moving books in and out of the hands of readers.  Again and again.  Great concept.  

I bought my audio copy of Rain is Not My Indian Name by Cynthia Leitich Smith at Logos. And, many of the books from my childhood that I wanted to recollect for my current collection. Trixie Belden mecca!

Logos Books & Records
1117 Pacific Avenue
Santa Cruz, CA  95060
(831) 427-5100

Logos, thanks for keeping these thousands and thousands of books in circulation, and for all you contribute to the world of literature and music.

Rock on, Santa Cruz!

Mary & Robin

4 comments:

tanita✿davis said...

Isn't there just a great SMELL in a used books store? The Petaluma branch of my fave has a full basement of used books -- children's adults, records, cookbooks -- and it smells like ...hours in a corner with pillow and blankets on a rainy afternoon.

I've come away from used bookstores with a first edition of Dear Enemy by Jean Webster, and tons of children's books that made me grin. Cherry Ames! Trixie Belden! Ginnie and the Cooking Contest! Good stuff. Yay LOGOS! And YAY for Greg and Hawaiian shirts!

Mary Hershey said...

TadMack-- oh, man, I'm glad you mentioned this. I forgot! Yes, the smell ranks right up there with Best Smells Ever! You read Ginnie and the Cooking Contest? Twin! I adored author Catherine Wooley as a kid. I think I read Ginnie and Geneva over and over until I wore out the pages. Dug Cherry Ames, too.

:-)
Mary Hershey

Jennifer R. Hubbard said...

I love used bookstores! There's nothing like finding an old favorite, esp. the same edition with the same cover you used to have.

Anonymous said...

I just wanted to say thanks Mary and Robin for taking the time to post about these bookstores. It gives us writers a place to start in the marketing aspect. What would've been even better is if you'd given the names of the book buyers. Too much to ask, do you think? LOL