Store open til 7 p.m.

You asked for it and you got it! The store is now staying open longer hours to cater to all of you 9 to 5-ers out there.

So instead of closing shop at 4 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, we’re keeping the candles burning until 7 p.m.

We’re also going to be open Mondays until 6 p.m.  and we operate on Saturdays, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Of course, none of this is possible without the help of our amazingly talented and giving volunteers, who run our quaint little shop. If you are interested in helping us extend our hours, sign up to be a volunteer! We’ve got the time.

Father’s Day and Summertime

Why does it seem to be a chore to find Dad a gift (one he actually would enjoy) on Father’s Day? Well, maybe you haven’t been going to the right shops.

The Library Store is packed with great gift ideas for dads. Besides the huge supply of gently used books to choose from, we’ve also got Palmetto and Crescent Moon golf balls, leather wine totes,  travel mugs (complete with a tire gage, flashlight and pen).  And if you simply have to give dad his traditional neckware this year, think about giving him a pillow made out of real ties. That should do the trick!

We recently got in some beautiful stemless wine glasses with the Palmetto and Crescent Moon engravings as well as insulated tumblers.

If Dad is a gardener, we have some garden totes that come with tools and gardening gloves. We also have great t-shirts  touting the importance of recycling, which Dad would wear proudly.

We have so many gift ideas to make Father’s Day shopping a treat. Oh, and you may just find something for yourself. So, check us out next time you’re in Headquarters Library!

Handcrafted goods perfect for gift giving

There’s nothing like owning a rare piece of art - whether it’s a country quilt or glass pendant.  Now, the Library Store is carrying a wide array of locally made goods that have become a popular way to say Happy Holidays to anyone on your list.

Five Upstate jewelry makers have filled the library store with one-of-a kind pieces. Jewelry by Elle Ink appeals to the younger consumer, using macrame, buttons, beads, and even soda can tabs in her collection. Anyone with an eclectic taste in jewelry will find the pieces made by Whimsabelle Wishes, Biling Glass, Marjorie Marcello, Paul and Annamarie Hornung and Harriett Casas ideal gifts for women and children.

We also have a great collection of beautiful pottery by two very well known craftswomen. Majorie Hawthorne and Kate McAninch — or “Pottery by Kate” — sell their works at The Library Store. And trust me, there’s nothing more thoughtful than giving a piece of pottery to a man or woman. It’s charming, it’s original and it shows you put a lot of care into your gift. We even have jewelry pieces made with pottery – very chic!

Now, if you would like your gift to be warm and comfy, we’ve got a nice display of handmade quilts and wall hangings that would fit the bill.  There’s even a fun wall hanging for that golfer on your gift list. Talk of being warm, did I mention we have hand crocheted hats? Well, we do.

And what is Christmas without the ornaments. This year, we have handmade ornaments beautifully displayed on our little tree.

That’s not all. We also have handmade Christmas bows for girls, tote bags, bookmarks (awesome ones made out of metal, ornamental suncatchers, wooden pens, clay pens, little girl handbags, bookends, wooden cars, pull toys … all made in the Upstate.

By the way, we also carry adorable clothes for the American Girl Dolls. They’re not American Girl, but – hey – they don’t an arm and a leg either. In fact, they’re 20 percent off! Check them out!

Oh we have so much more to talk about – as far as stuff in our store. We’ll just have to wait till tomorrow. I’ll make sure we include pictures too.

Stop By Our Shop

Have any of you checked out our store lately? Ohmigosh! You’ve got to see what we’ve got! Let’s talk bookish stuff first. If you haven’t already noticed, we have a wonderful supply of gently used hardcover and paperback books that range from $1 to $6. The pricier coffee table books are inside the store, but we’re talking cheap ($10 maybe) and beautiful. You can’t find these books just anywhere either.

 

We also have some great gift ideas with the reader in mind. We’ve got reading glasses, journals, bookmarks, chess set, booklights, tote bags for books, pillows to support your back as your read, jewelry to wear while reading, crocheted hats to warm you while you listen to a bookon tape, aprons to wear while reading your cookbook …. ok, not everything is geared to just reading.

 

Since we let that cat out of the bag, let’s go on with some of our inventory. We’ve got lots of great things for kids. Puppets, toys, puzzles, cute handbags and back back for girls, Thomas trains, wooden cars and crafts, tiny dinosaur stuffed animals, rocks, sharks teeth, to name a few.

 

We have local made pottery, handcrafted jewelry that will “wow” you, quilts, handbags, suncatchers, coffee mugs, wine goblets, photo frames, wall hangings, wreaths … did I mention books?

 

Basically, you have to stop by and see everything that was not mentioned. And our inventory is always changing, so if you didn’t see what you wanted the first time you visit, keep coming back. Better yet, let us know what you are looking for – suggestions with a smile are always appreciated.

 

Get a cup of joe

 

Just in time for cooler weather, The Library Store is selling its freshly brewed coffee  – not that the heat has ever stopped coffee connoisseurs from their java. But now you can enjoy a cup or two in Headquarters Atrium before or after you find that perfect book to go along with it.

 

Interested? You can buy a cup in the store for $1.50 and help yourself to the Library’s own brand of coffee we call Book Junkies Java. The coffee comes from Spartanburg’s very own Little River Roasting Company, the best around!

 

Coffee time is 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. These times are not locked in stone. As soon as interest increases, so will our serving times. So, come in and try out our delicious coffee. We even have Hazel Nut, for those who like a little flavor added to their brew. Plus, we sell the same ground coffee in our store.

 

But wait! You have to enjoy the coffee either in the Atrium or snack room, as a courtesy to our beloved books. We wouldn’t want a coffee spills to spoil a perfectly good novel, would we? Great. So, just take a seat in the Atrium, read, work on your computer, socialize and have a cup of coffee to go with it.

Budget Shopping

It’s no surprise, with money being harder to come by these days, more people are looking for bargains. But who would have thought the Library would be the perfect, economical place to go shopping?

Inside Headquarters Library on South Church Street, there’s a little store that is loaded with unique toys, puppets, jewelry, writing accessories, and decorations for the home not to mention hundreds of gently used books. For less than $15, a person can pick up a gift for a friend and a book for themselves — or visa versa.

The Library Store opened 11 years ago and is a major fundraiser for the Friends of the Spartanburg County Public Libraries.  Purchases made at the store assist the Friends, who in turn support programming at the library. Heard of Jamboread? The Friends help with that. Remember an author signing at the library? Friends were likely behind that as well.

Right now, the store is featuring Civil War books, and there’s a ton of them. These hardcover books range around $4 and $6 each, or there about. These books can be found inside the store. Outside the store are five carts filled with hardbacks and paperbacks – we’ve got cookbooks, biographies, health books, religious books, kids books, coffee table books, novels, etc. We even carry magazines. 

The latest addition to our store are our adorable puppets. These are a must for children, as they help develop the imagination.

One of the biggest draws to the store is the jewelry. We’ve got some of the most unique pieces and all are made by local artisans. You’ve got to check it out!

Speaking of local artisans, we even carry pottery, tote bags, pens, silk purses and pillows, a table runner and the list goes on … made by talented people from Spartanburg.

Well, you simply need to come by and see it for yourself. The Library Store is the best kept secret in town. Come see what you’ve been missing!

Lib E. Ray, signing off.