|
Lee’s Summit Welcomes Reader’s World
December 8, 2012
Reader's World Manager Christian Apodaca
(right) and Assistant Manager Jamie York (left).
Tribune Photo/Wendy Hayworth
By Wendy Hayworth
Intern Reporter for the Tribune
intern@lstribune.net
With the closing of Borders, many found themselves at a loss. Lee’s Summit simply isn’t the same without a bookstore.
“When Border’s left there was this huge gaping hole,” Reader’s World Manager, Christian Apodaca, said.
Crowley Distribution, a business owned by three brothers, began to look for openings in Lee’s Summit. They have eight other locations within Missouri in addition to one in Illinois, and one in Shawnee.
The brothers approached Apodaca asking if she would run a location in Lee’s Summit.
“I was kind of on the fence about whether I wanted to do retail again,” Apodaca said. “I decided that I couldn’t say no to a bookstore.”
Apodaca asked her former co-worker, Jamie York, to assist her with the new store.
“All of us are from Borders,” Apodaca said, “We brought our family with us.”
Reader’s World opened on November 7th.
“We want to be here for the community,” Assistant Manager, Jamie York, said. “We want to be a place they can come and support a small, independent business. You don’t have to worry about dealing with a huge conglomerate that’s looking more towards pushing you towards the electronic devices.”
Reader’s World employees believe that nothing compare to hold a book in your hands.
“Yeah, electronic devices are good but you can’t beat a book. The smell, the look, the girth of the tome in your hands. You can’t beat that,” York said.
As an small business, Reader’s World can’t compete with online prices. However, they offer something online shopping cannot.
“You get to touch the book and look at it. It’s the experience that you get here,” Apodaca said.
Reader’s World aims to make every customer feel like a friend.
“We want you to leave feeling like: these people really care about us,” York said.
Customers are welcome to join their Paperback Book Club. Members receive a 10% discount on all paperback purchases. There is no fee to join.
Teachers also receive a 15% discount on personal purchases and 25% off purchases for the classroom.
“This holiday season we’re doing a book drive for Operation Breakthrough,” Apodaca said.
Operation Breakthrough is a program dedicated to providing an education to children in need.
“We’re collecting donated books. If you buy a book here, then we make sure it gets to them,” Apodaca said.
The book drive lasts through Christmas.
Reader's World is located at 983 NE Rice Road, Lees Summit, Missouri 64086 They are open Mon - Sat: 10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m., Sun: 12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Phone (816) 246-READ (7323)
| |
