The Village Bookstore on Washington Avenue has been a staple in downtown Pleasantville since 1972, despite the growth of Kindles and other electronic book-reading devices.<\/p>\n
\u201cSales have not gone down,\u201d said employee Bob Brutting. He said people use both devices and paper copies. \u201cWhen they go away [on trips], they don\u2019t want to carry around six to eight books.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Village Bookstore caters to browsers. Book recommendations flood the store’s shelves. Note cards placed near books help the average browser get a better indication whether they will like the book or not. \u201c[I enjoy] helping people discover books they didn\u2019t know existed,\u201d said Brutting. \u201cThen, maybe it becomes their favorite book in the world. To me, that\u2019s the fun part of the job.\u201d<\/p>\n
Roy Solomon, one of the Village Bookstore’s owners, never thought he would enjoy owning a bookstore as much as he does. For 14 years, he and fellow co-owner Yvonne J. vanCort have seen it grow and move locations.<\/p>\n
\u201cI never thought I could stand being interrupted,\u201d noted Solomon. \u201cBut it was very easy to get used to, actually. I really like the flow of activity.\u201d<\/p>\n
Owning a bookstore has been an eye-opening experience for Solomon. He said the small businesses like his make Pleasantville special. \u201cYou care about what the sidewalk looks like, what the garbage pail down the street looks like,\u201d said Solomon. \u201cIt\u2019s nice to be a part of that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n