Independent bookstores find readers on fly

Airports and bookstores are a natural fit as idling travelers look for ways pass their time.

In at least three U.S. airports, independent book sellers offer air travelers something a bit different from the big chains.

Portland, Ore.

A selection of used books is mixed in among the new at Powell's Books at Portland International.

Headquartered in downtown Portland, Powell's has three branches at the airport: one in the pre-security Oregon Market area and smaller outlets on Concourses C and D.

Powell's airport store manager, Martin Barrett, says travelers can stop by the pre-security store to sell or trade as many as three books at a time.

Anyone with more than three books to sell or swap must drop them off and return a day or two later for a tally.

"A lot of airport employees and airline crew members take advantage of this," says Barrett, but if a passenger shows up with a suitcase full of books to swap, that's fine, too.

Avid reader Brian Norton, a telecom project manger from Reston, Va., often finds himself picking up books at airports, and he's shopped at Powell's.

"They had a good selection for the small space, and the prices were good," says Norton.

His book-shopping at airports hasn't always been that satisfactory.

He recalls a long delay at the Kansas City airport, where the book selection was limited to the five leaders in each category of the New York Times best sellers list, "and then about 10 different versions of The Wizard of Oz."

Milwaukee

Opened about 30 years ago, the Renaissance Book Shop at General Mitchell International Airport may be the oldest used bookstore in an airport.

Located pre-security, the store's shelves are crammed with 40,000 to 50,000 books -- everything from general fiction and biography to local and regional history. There are also back copies of Life magazine.

Dave Long, a staff member at the bookstore for more than 25 years, says customers include frequent travelers, "meeters and greeters" and folks who come to the airport just to browse.

"It's always great to see someone just light up when they find something they've been searching for," says Long.

Ember Dahlvig, who works for a hedge fund in New York and grew up in Medford, Wis., travels to Milwaukee often to visit friends -- and to shop for used books at the airport.

"I leave extra room in my luggage, planning on it," she says.

Dahlvig likes the selection, fair prices and some great bargains. She also enjoys the store's relaxing ambience.

"It's tied in with the Midwest charm," she say.

"After 10 minutes in there, you've completely forgotten that you're in an airport and the hassles of your travels."

The Renaissance Book Shop doesn't buy used books at its airport store. It does offer a voucher for two hours of free parking to anyone who spends at least $15 in the store.

Raleigh-Durham

In North Carolina, it's a reader's paradise at Raleigh-Durham International. New books are sold at Borders, Hudson News & Books, CNBC, Press Plus and other retail outlets

But there are about 8,000 used books for sale at 23-year-old 2nd ed. Booksellers, a shop owned by Walter and Karen High.

Walter High says the shop sells about 60,000 books a year.

"I'm constantly visiting thrift stores, rummage and library sales, estate sales, yard sales and anyplace I can find books," he says.

Located post-security, the store also gets some of its stock from the many repeat customers who stop by to buy, sell or trade.

Eugene Packman says he's been a customer at 2nd ed. Booksellers for at least 10 years.

"The selection is outstanding, especially considering the (small) size of the store," says Packman.

"My only complaint is that they do not have one in the other terminal."

Phil Quinones, the supervisory librarian at nearby Fort Bragg, says he doesn't even pack books in his carry-on anymore when he uses Raleigh-Durham.

Instead, he heads for the shop once he passes through the security checkpoint.

Says Quinones: "It's a great place to browse for books, since taking them through security has gotten to be a hassle these days.

"And let's face it: It gets kind of tiring see the same best sellers in all the other bookstores that sell only new books. I just wish every airport had a used bookstore."

Being down the hall from vendors selling new books doesn't seem to hurt sales, says Walter High.

High says he makes a point of stocking books that the new-book sellers don't.

For example, he recently bought a huge collection of Civil War books that includes first editions from the 1920s.

"We're going to make a big display here in the store. That's stuff you're not going to see down the hall at Borders."

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