For many, there is nothing more relaxing than curling up on the couch with a blanket, a cup of coffee and a good…Kindle?
Joann Snodgrass offers a nod to nostalgia as owner of the Paperback Shack in Temecula's Tower Plaza retail center. (Kerri S. Mabee/SWRNN)
Who would have ever envisioned a day when books would become an endangered species?
That’s precisely what is happening as modern conveniences — including the Internet — continue to steadily overtake theses outdated tactile treasures.
But, Jo Ann Snodgrass, owner of the Paperback Shack in Temecula’s Tower Plaza retail center, is holding on tight, despite a technology-driven current that threatens to sweep everything away.
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Featuring over 20,000 paperback books in all genres — romance, science fiction, literature, children’s books, and more — Snodgrass said she opened the shop over 20 years ago because of her own love of reading.
“I wanted a business of my own and I love books. I saw a need here. I’ve got people coming here who used to come as children. And now they’re bringing their kids,” Snodgrass said.
A sluggish economy, a struggling retail center and the public’s penchant for newer, slicker modern gadgets have combined to slow business considerably, but Snodgrass will not be moved.
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“I am still here. I will stay here as long as people come in to buy books,” Snodgrass said.
The store, she said, is more than just a place to pick up a good read at a great price; it’s a place where history lives.
Old-time Temecula photos and maps, vintage bookmarks and toys fill the shop, serving as a nostalgic reminder of the city’s beginnings and a marker of just how far things have come.
That’s what books do, after all — inform a reader’s understanding of the past and inspire a brighter future.
It’s an idea that Snodgrass hopes will keep avid readers who appreciate the look, feel and smell of a book, coming back to her store — to support a local business and to keep a beloved tradition alive and well.
The Paperback Shack is located at 27515 Ynez Road in Temecula.
Kerri S. Mabee can be reached at kerri.mabee@swrnn.com. Follow me on Twitter @kerrimabee.
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