The Book Rescuers started 3.5 years ago, when the libraries were still closed due to COVID, and George Brooks found himself standing in a driveway with 800 books he acquired from an Amazon seller. The books were en route to the dump before George intervened. Books ought to be rehomed or repurposed, not tossed, so cue Book Rescuers, George’s passion project turned full-time occupation.
The Book Rescuers’ new location at 8325 Ulmerton Road recently soft-opened on Black Friday, boasting 3 miles of shelves, over 100,000+ books, and—currently in the works—a 10-foot Christmas tree made entirely of literary treasures (about 2,000). Brooks reports that the tree should be finished after the weekend, but they are still playing with the concept. Brooks is using guilt-page books to mimic ornaments, while lights and garlands are expected to wrap around the 10-foot stack.
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While still in its soft opening phase, Brooks plans a grand opening in January. By the grand opening, Brooks should have completed most of the finishing touches. Overflow Brewery should have craft beers available on tap, the coffee and tea bar should be open for orders, murals should appear on the walls, and food trucks should be able to plug right into the building. Brooks insists that the successful opening belongs to the community, not him. “Without them we wouldn’t be here,” says Brooks, “so we’ll always be here for the community.”
“This is the most rewarding work I’ve ever done”
Book Rescuers’ new location has an accumulative 3-miles of shelves, consisting of every imaginable book genre. There’s a 60-seat reading lounge, 16 craft beers on tap, and a coffee and tea bar. A stage is available for authors and musicians to perform, and an educational room for children.
“There’s so much room for activities,” says Brooks. Recently, a woman asked Brooks if she and her knitting guild could use the space one day per week. To which Brooks responded: “You had me at ‘guild’.” Brooks’ and his staff’s openness to allow different activities is even more impressive than the 2,000 books they stock daily.
“This is the most rewarding work I’ve ever done,” says Brooks. “Hands down…we are 100% percent confident in what we are doing.”
Deals and discounts for educators and subscribers
This shop also offers memberships. Subscribers will pay $40. While subscriptions are encouraged money-savers, non-subscribers are welcome. For non-subscribers, kid’s books are $1, paperbacks $2, and hardcovers $3.
A bit about Book Rescuers “Book Hero” membership: Members enjoy no pick fee (non-subscribers pay $1 per item) and save 5% on every purchase (before shipping). Additionally, members earn 10% in rewards on their invoice (before shipping), which can be used as cash on future purchases. You can also request out-of-stock books and join a queue for automatic notifications when they become available, with the top of the queue getting the first right of refusal for 24 hours.
Joining the used bookstore on its mission
Book Rescuers provides additional deals and services for educators, bulk buys, birthdays, and more. Check directly with the staff for further details.
The owners have also turned to the local community for support. They’ve launched a GoFundMe campaign to assist with costs related to opening the new store, getting their online shop set up, and ongoing book rescue efforts. To date, they’ve raised $25,000 with an overall goal of $60,000. 
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