When Richard and Meggins Scheel opened Main Street Bookshop they thought they were going to start out slow and gradually get bigger and busier down the road. They were wrong.
“The reception has been incredible and shocking,” according to Meggins. “Especially the book ordering part of the business. We’ve had so many orders it feels like we are competing with Amazon!”
Meggins said she always wanted to work in a bookstore. She, Richard and their five children are all avid readers of a wide variety of books. The Scheels even went on dates to Barnes & Noble.
“That’s a little far for us and I started researching to see if there was anything closer,” she said.
They found that, except for the Christian Information Book Store, there is not a bookstore in Milam County. That’s why they decided to open one.
Main Street Bookshop offers both new and used books and sell about an equal amount of both.
“It’s not unusual for a family to come in and get a bunch of each,” Meggins said. “We love having children come in the store and there is a whole section just for kids with both new and used books.”
They also have coffee which was Richard’s idea. Sales have been brisk and they’ve gotten good reviews.
Response to their book club was so great that they had to divide it into a morning and evening club. The book for August is Weyward by Emilia Hart.
The Scheels have big plans for their shop. Pretty soon the backyard will be fenced with a nice deck to drink coffee and read your new book. They also plan to have a giant chess board and a giant Scrabble board outside.
They plan to have a monthly newsletter and are collecting emails now. To get on their list email meg@mainstreetbookshop.com.
If you haven’t been to the new bookstore yet, it’s located at 202 W. Cameron Ave. at the corner of Burleson, just across the street from The 1895.
Main Street Bookshop is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesdays through Fridays and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays. Closed on Sunday and Monday. You may reach them at 512-543-5055.
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