When I was in my 20s there was a local pizza restaurant close to where I lived. It seemed to get more than its share of traffic, the parking lot always had a bunch of cars coming and going. Some of the cars were really nice, some more “average” looking, some kinda run down. The pizza was good, but nothing special.

Well, I eventually came to learn that the owner was a bookie, and a lot of that traffic was of “customers” that were not coming or going for pizza! Mondays and Fridays were the busiest!

That made sense after I learned this as there was a lot of money visibly changing hands with the owner with no food in the mix! Nor was the cash register being used.

This is our third winter stay at Ortega River area aka “Fairfax” here in Jacksonville FL.

There is a similar business in the neighborhood that I’ve always been suspicious of. I’ve driven by this place dozens of times … maybe hundreds of times. Lots of traffic, cars of all varieties coming and going all the time! It appeared to be a small little used book store. Nothing flashy; almost looked a bit run down by my first impressions. But there was a lot of comings and goings! “Gotta be somethin’ illegal goin’ on there!”

Well, today I drove down to pick up our mail, and coming back, I had a half hour to kill before a scheduled business call. So, I figured I’d stop into this small place of business to see what the “story” was with this very suspicious storefront in our marina’s neighborhood.

Well, I was amazed to find the largest super-store of used (and new) books that I have ever seen anywhere. Before Amazon ever existed the “Mecca” of places for bookstores used to be Harvard Square in Cambridge MA. I loved spending whole days perusing each and every bookstore in Harvard Square. Similarly, in the 1980s and early 1990s there was a goldmine of bookstores on the dock in Yarmouth Maine called Harbor Books. It had so many little rooms and turns… the place went on and on forever. The staffs at these types of places were the BEST!!!

There were people coming and going the whole time I was there. The staff was extremely helpful, knowledgeable, and they were not afraid to dicker a bit for the used book I really wanted. There was no subject of non-fiction they did not have covered, and the novels were all expertly classified and categorized.

There is something at this bookstore for everyone!

There was no sign of book making or drug dealing as I suspected for a year or two since tying up in the marinas nearby, both Lambs and Port 32 Ortega Landing.

So, I now have a new favorite place to come hang out that is walking distance from all the marinas in the neighborhood! Unfortunately, we don’t have room for a “library” on-board…

Publix, West Marine, SuperCuts, BofA, Chase, AND the best book store on the east coast, all walking distance from the marinas of this Ortega River area!

Never judge a bookstore by its cover! <wink>