Chamblin Bookmine, Jacksonville, Florida
Last time I took you to The
Inn at Ocean Springs. Now we’ll
speed across the country to more than a bookstore, a book lover’s happy
dream. Chamblin Bookmine is unlike any bookstore you’ve visited. I know
you’re saying to yourself, “Yeah, sure.
A bookstore is a bookstore.”
Oh, how wrong you are, silly knave. Think B & N is a real bookstore? I’m not a complete snob. I do go to B & N for a coffee and to take
photos of books I can buy cheaper on Amazon.
I’ve browsed fabulous bookstores in London, attired in 19th
Century dark wood paneling and multi-levels of tomes that make you gasp. Even strolled a few dozen times down the
justly famous Charing Cross Road and trod through the many musty and narrow shelving
corridors, in dozens of used bookstores.
If you get to London, try it.
See, this is not bragging. This is called building up my creds, so when I
tell you about Chamblin Bookmine,
you’re more apt to place your trust in a true book lover and tread in my well-intentioned
footsteps. Do you follow? (Pun intended)
Ok, I admit it. You’re
not a knave. But have you been to Chamblin Bookmine?
Use your gps to find it.
Even though you can see the white concrete building from Roosevelt
Highway (Hwy 17) going north, it’s a twisty, turning adventure to actually get
to the front door. However the
long, bold, black letters posted high on the fascia let you know you’ve arrived
at book Nirvana. Small parking lot
that’s perpetually crowded. Be prepared
to be impressed. Toss that need for espresso and dark wood paneling aside.
Even a world traveler and bibliophile such as myself, who
walked in expecting the all too common warehouse approach to offering unsalable
books, was immediately impressed.
To my surprise, I found a beehive of fellow book lovers
exchanging smiles as they passed, asking each other for directions through a
seeming endless warren of narrow corridors lined with shelves so high you can
barely reach and I’m 7’ 2”! Actually
I’m closer to 5’ 8”, so women who are 5’9” intimidate me.
But, enough about me. Let’s get back to the 23,000 sq. feet
of books, or about half a football field. That IS intimidating. However, have no fear, the organization is
remarkable, with books of every genre, alphabetically easy to find. Having trouble? The counter clerks are wizards at pointing
you in the right direction and the owner, Ron Chamblin is also happy to help. He’s the one sitting at an open desk beside
the clerks, peering at a computer and helping another customer find a book.
I looked for a certain southern cookbook and searched the
cookbook shelves in vain. A smart young
woman at the counter steered me to a special section for ‘Southern
Cooking.’ Search for that kind of prompt
and knowledgeable help in a major chain bookstore.
Mystery sections, romance, general fiction, history divided
by era, science fiction, thrillers, non-fiction, poetry, wine, it’s all
there. When I say ‘section,’ I’m not
speaking of an arm’s length of covers to stare at. The history section alone has more books than
most bookstores. If you plan to see everything, bring a lunch. There’s even an
Erotica section. I really didn’t find
the first four books interesting. But, I
only finished reading three.
Let me give you a brief sketch of the owner, Ron Chamblin (above). He’s a tall man, or at least taller than I
am, with startling white hair, glasses and such an easy manner that when you ask
him a question, you’d never know you’re imposing, while he’s busy trying
to do three things at once. He
stops. He listens with full attention
and if he can’t find you a book, Google couldn’t either.
“We started Chamblin
Bookmine in 1976 and now we have 23,000 sq. feet and I’m buying another
8000 sq. feet.” He also mentions there’s
a Chamblin Uptown at 215 N. Laura Street, tele 904-674-0868, which is about the same size! Two of them together? Football field!
I am in awe at the sheer volume of books! Hardbounds, paperbacks, used, new, there’s no
beginning and no end. So where do your get this many books? “All kinds of sources. We bought out five bookstores that were going
out of business.” He didn’t mention it,
but Chamblin’s also buys used books as well, as the sign says outside. To judge from the ebb and flow of customers,
there is no more shortage of sources than there is a shortage of grains of sand in the ocean.
Matter of fact, when you go to checkout, the clerk will ask
if you have any a book credits, meaning have you sold us any books. The credit will be used to discount the
prices of the books you’re buying.
A group of three of us went twice. Couldn’t stay away. Bibliophiles will have no sense of time or
cost. No telling how long we were in the
Bookmine. I only know I was happy to
peel off the bills and tote my armful of wonders to the car.
Will I be back again?
Of course. Ya gotta read, right?
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