Whenever I visit my brother in Florida I always plan a meet-up with a good friend of mine. We try out a new spot for lunch and then find something interesting to do or a place to visit that’s new to at least one of us. We cheated a little this time and went to a restaurant we’d been to before — the Salt and Sweet — but they have such delicious peirogies that it’s hard NOT to go there every time.
Before I got to town I did some Googling to see if Melbourne had any used bookstores. I thought a little browsing might be fun. We’ve got great used bookshops in Columbus, but I’d never thought to look for any near my brother (Which is odd considering I visit often enough!). I managed to find a few, and Nu2U Books on Aurora got really great reviews and was even close to the restaurant. Who knew?
When we pulled into the parking lot I was skeptical; it looked like it was in a storage unit and didn’t seem very big but — wow — when we walked in we were swallowed up. I was most impressed! We lost track of time.
The owner’s granddaughter made all these great signs extolling the wonders of reading…
… as well as giving us fair warning of the impending doom:
(I was already afflicted.)
It always makes me happy to see bookstores — especially used ones! — doing well. While we were there, all kinds of people came in to browse, buy, & swap. Dave, the owner, explained their simple pricing structure: $3 hardcovers and $1 paperbacks. “We want to make it easy for people to read,” he said. He told us how he started selling books out of the back of his car and that things kind of snowballed from there. Nice.
Like I need more books, buuuut…
I left with Cormac McCarthy’s The Road (I borrowed & read my brother’s copy but wanted one for my own shelf.), First You Build a Cloud (I’d read KC Cole’s The Universe and the Teacup and just loved it.), and The Proficient Pilot (Barry Schiff’s aviation classic, which will be great for helping me get my piloting groove back).
I also couldn’t resist this copy of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. I seem to have started a little collection of Alice books without realizing it. I am such a nut for old illustrated books and I just couldn’t let this one — printed in 1897 — stay on the shelf.
Bonus: free handmade bookmarks!
I took the middle one... it color coordinates nicely, wouldn't you agree?
On the way out to the car we noticed Fat Cat Thrift across the parking lot. I was lured over by these two little Mexican ceramic sinks that were sitting outside the door. I’ve been on the lookout for something unique that could become a birdbath for one of my gardens and at $10 it was a bargain. In the end I chose not to get one (they were a little too deep), but the store owner noticed my Miz Mooz art deco shoes and waved me inside. “I think I’ve got a perfect pair of shoes for you…” I wasn’t hopeful as I so rarely find thrift store shoes that fit - I’m a size 6 - but it turned out to be a Cinderella day! Snagged a great scarf and purse too.
All in all, nice haul! And two great new spots to add to my “What I like about Melbourne” list. I should start exploring more in Columbus too; it’s sooo easy to get stuck going to the same places all the time. What great finds have you stumbled upon while exploring your own town?
Nu2u Books - 2624 Aurora Road, Melbourne FL . (910) 429-4843 . Hours: Tue - Sat 12-6pm . Cash only. || Fat Cat Thrift & Vintage - 2632 Aurora Road, Melbourne FL . (321) 544-6914 . Hours: Tue - Sat 12-5pm
