There’s a buzz about town with the opening of a new bookstore in Galt.
Rookery Books is set to open its doors on Dec. 1, just in time for the holidays.
In anticipation, store owner Alice Drysdale is busily stocking shelves with new books, and says she looks forward to becoming part of the Galt community.
“It’s a great location. I really don’t think I can beat it,” Drysdale said.
Originally from Waterloo, Drysdale says she jumped around from place to place for a while before deciding to settle in Galt.
“I was in Ireland, in Kingston and now, I’m new to Galt,” Drysdale said.
“I always really liked the look, vibe, and energy of downtown Galt. And when I was thinking of places to settle, it was right up there on the list. It just spoke to me.”
Rookery Books, at 25 Main St., has much to offer anyone looking for a good new read.
“It’s primarily a new bookstore. So, 80 per cent of our stock is new books, but we also sell some board games, puzzles, and gift items. As for the books themselves, there is no particular genre, just general fiction for all ages,” Drysdale said.
Rookery Books was in the making for about a year when Drysdale decided go ahead with the opening of a new store.
“This is something I’ve always wanted to do. I just now found myself in a position where I could make it happen,” Drysdale said.
“So, here I am now, capitalizing on a lifelong dream.”
A reading corner for young readers is currently in the works, and Drysdale says, in the future she hopes to host events, in shop.
“Once I’m settled and more established, I do hope to hold events here,” she said.
“Right now, I’m focusing on Dec. 1, to make sure we are open for people to shop for the holidays, and then there will be an official grand opening in January.”
For Drysdale, reading has been a lifelong passion, one that she hopes she can help instill in others at Rookery Books.
“The thing that I like the most is hand selling titles, finding out peoples' interests and finding that book that they might not have heard of, and that I can offer them,” Drysdale said.
“This is the kind of thing you don’t get at big box stores or online shopping whereas I can offer that personal touch, narrow in on a person’s interests, and suggest something that they will hopefully love.”
It’s that love of books and book seller knowledge that Drysdale says she wants to be able to offer at Rookery Books.
“It was always something that called to me. Before this venture, I was teaching literature at Queen’s University in Kingston where I had completed my PhD,” Drysdale said.
Rookery Books, at 25 Main St in Galt, will open on Dec. 1.
Online purchasing, for in-store pickup, will go live as soon as the store opens. In the meantime, Drysdale encourages everyone to browse the store site and see what titles are available on order.
“It’s been a bit of a rush getting everything ready, but I’m very excited,” Drysdale said.
“Introducing people to books is something that has always held a fascination for me.”
For more information about Rookery Books, visit here.
