The Reader’s Exchange offers books with charm

By Sarrah Peters

News Editor

The Reader’s Exchange, located next to the Coffee Well at 124 Court Street in Gadsden, is a new used book store. The store opened in December of last year.

The Reader’s Exchange has a charming feel, with quotes from books or about books painted on the walls and wooden bookshelves, of course, completely filled with books.

To add to the charm, customer’s are frequently greeted by Oliver, the store’s resident cat. Oliver is a gray tabby named after Oliver Twist.

“He is a very accomplished little thief,” said owner Heather Wardrup. “He loves to steal food if he thinks he can get away with it.”

Wardrup said that she realized she could turn her love of books into a career after reading a Nora Roberts book that had a main character with a bookstore.

As the name suggests, readers can bring books they no longer want and get a store credit for about 25 percent of the cover price. Condition is factored in, and hardback books are rarely taken, due to space limitations. To use credits, customers pay half of the purchase and the credit goes towards the other half.

The store also hosts a monthly book club. The Any Book Book Club chooses a book theme, and participants choose titles that relate to it. The books can be any author or genre, as long as it is a book the reader can enjoy. The more relaxed book requirements allow more people to enjoy the book club, especially younger readers because they can choose books at specific reading levels. It also gives participants an opportunity to enjoy their favorite genres and authors and be exposed to new genres and authors. The next book club meeting is on Tuesday, August 18 at 6:30 p.m. Members take turns bringing snacks, so all that you are required to bring is a book and a drink for yourself.

The store hours are 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. on Tuesday through Friday and 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Saturday. The store is closed on Sunday and Monday.

For more information, visit The Reader’s Exchange Facebook page at www.facebook.com/thereadersexchange or call the store at 256-490-4004.