Saturday, August 4, 2018

Chamblin Bookmine, Jacksonville, Florida





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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