You hear it all the time: Bookstores are dying, hanging on to cultural relevancy by threads more battered than the spine of a well-worn paperback. But what you don't hear about are the avid, enthusiastic readers keeping those stores alive. Guys like Mike McCall of the Paperback-Book X-Change. This charming shop is yellowed and worn, just like a beloved tome. It's been around for more than 35 years, with McCall at the helm for the past 13 years. Friendly and knowledgeable, he's happy to talk to customers who care about the dying art of the bound and printed word. Like all great used-book shops, there's a fantastic element of chance in what you'll walk out with.
"Do you have Neuromancer by William Gibson?" you might ask.
"I don't know," McCall will admit, "but here is Mona Lisa Overdrive. Let's keep looking, the G's continue on that shelf."
You inquire, "Do you have The Great Gatsby?"
"I see that one all the time!" he will exclaim. "It comes in every day or every five days. You never can tell — come back tomorrow!"
Caring customers are the life-blood of the X-Change. All selections are half their original sticker price, and readers who bring in books for trade get an additional 50 percent off when it's time for check out. You never know, he might strike a deal with you just because he likes the cut of your jib.