Washington County Enterprise-Leader
Friends Of Library To Open Bookstore
— Residents of Prairie Grove soon will be able to browse for used books in a bookstore located in a house believed to be around 100 years old.
Friends of Prairie Grove Library will open a used bookstore at 311 E. Buchanan St. The craftsman style house once belonged to Guy and Tressie Skelton and later was used as the “Remember When” antique store.
The store opens 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 1 and will be open on Tuesdays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The city of Prairie Grove acquired the house as part of a property swap completed earlier this year with Jason and Steve Skelton.
Prairie Grove City Council approved trading the city’s old water department building and old maintenance facility for the Skelton house and the property behind it, including land and a storage build- ing. Prairie Grove also received $10,000 as part of the trade.
“This opened up the opportunity for the Friends to use it to sell used and donated books,” said Mayor Sonny Hudson.
City employees and library staff have moved boxes and boxes of
books into the house. Volunteers will run the used bookstore on a set schedule.
Books for sale will include juvenile fiction and nonfiction, children’s books, adult fiction and nonfiction and any other books that have been culled from library shelves or donated by the community to the library.
Donna Brown, chairwoman of Prairie Grove Library Board, said money raised by the bookstore will benefit Prairie Grove Library and the Children’s Library.
“The Friends raise money to supplement the library,” said Brown, who has been an active member of the Friends’ group in the past. “Books are very expensive and this will be a way to pick one up for a lot less.”
Brown said she is looking forward to having a used bookstore in Prairie Grove.
“You never know what you’re going to find. That’s what is fun about it,” she said. “Sometimes you can find some very interesting things.”
Library Director Iva Sorrell said Prairie Grove Public Library is full, with no space to expand. It has been storing used and donated books in a storage building and now this will allow the library to give the public a chance to purchase some of these extra books.
“Having a used book store will generate revenue for the library and help the library staff clean out its storage building,” Sorrell said.
Temple Moore of Prairie Grove has fond memories of visiting in the house with her parents Don and Dean Skelton. She said she loved hearing stories from her dad about growing up in the house. She especially remembers the cast iron lavender tub, lavender toilet and lavender pedestal sink in the bathroom.
Anyone interested in volunteering with Friends of Prairie Grove Library can stop by the public library or call 846-3782 for more information. Volunteers will be needed to help run the used bookstore.
“Having a used book store will generate revenue for the library and help the library staff clean out its storage building.” Iva Sorrell Prairie Grove Public Library