“We hosted the Third Coast Author and Book Festival with the DDA—60 venues, about 150 authors, many of them #1 bestsellers. Fifty authors sold out entirely. It was unlike anything the Midwest has seen—truly Third Coast becoming Best Coast. We were on every major news outlet. The goal was to bring traffic to downtown businesses in the slow season, and it worked. Pulling it off took 50 years of relationships with authors, publicists, and publishers. That network made it happen. We’re already planning next year’s festival—with panels, more interaction, and bigger authors

The store itself has roots in friendship. A dear friend, Sherry Bazuin, started a small bookstore here, and I helped stock shelves while recovering from disability. She eventually sold it to me just before COVID. During lockdown, I gave away books outside daily to keep people engaged.

The response was overwhelming. The community embraced it. I didn’t even tell my wife I bought the store until after—she had been in fast food management and was burned out. I wanted to make sure this could be our retirement plan. It’s exceeded anything we imagined.”