Bookworm Works to Get Them in the Door

A woman walked into the Bookworm and asked about a copy of a book dealing with the Civil War.

Jaye Force, the manager and only employee of the used book store, said she’d keep an eye out. Run by Force and a trusty team of volunteers, the shop doesn’t keep the inventory on computers—it’s all in the heads of Force and the team of volunteers, who curate sections of the shop.

Force didn’t see the book come in with any of the donations she handily organizes. However, three years after the original request, Force spotted it and gave the woman a call.

“She was delighted,” Force said. “I wasn’t sure if she’d still want it.”

You just don’t get that kind of service at the big box bookstores. Located right next to Phoenixville Hospital and run by the hospital auxiliary and volunteers, the Bookworm serves as one of the last bastions for bibliophiles in the Phoenixville area.

However, it’s suffered through a near-closure in the past, and now sits in the shadows of an expansion of Phoenixville Hospital. However, rumors of its death, as Mark Twain put it, were greatly exaggerated.

“It’s trying to get back into the swing,” said Phoenixville Hospital Auxiliary President Debbie Francis. “People thought we were gone, and now we’re trying to let them know we’re still here. But it’s been picking up.”

The Bookworm received a $10,000 grant from the Phoenixville Community Health Foundation to boost marketing efforts. The grant money is already having an effect. A new, colorful logo was designed, a direct mail campaign is in the works and a frequent buyer program was instituted, offering a point for every five bucks spent, and a $5 credit for five points.

Additionally, the Bookworm received some sprucing up. The front area was opened up, and a new desk was added. Curtains were hung and Force received an office—of sorts.

“It was a storage room,” Francis said. “Now she has a little actual office.”

All of the marketing is geared to one thing—just bringing people in to see the extensive collection, reasonable prices, team of volunteers and charming Victorian home that houses the Bookworm. Despite all the changes, the Bookworm retains its charm.

“We still keep the feel,” Force said. “We just need people to get in the door.”

“Our slogan is to get them in the door and they’ll stay,” Francis said. “Get ‘em in the door, and we got ‘em.”

And if you’re in the market for something off the beaten path, chances are it might pass through the doors of the Bookworm—and Force will be there to keep track of it.

“She’s got a phenomenal mind,” Francis said. “And she’s a book person, a real book person, and she’s been coming here since her grandfather brought her here, so it was cool that she fell into this job.”

If You Go:

Hours: Mon., Tues., Thurs., Fri., Sat., 12 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.; Wed., 7 p.m. – 9 p.m. (open from 12 p.m. – 3 p.m. on Mon., July 4)

Location: 822 Main St., Phoenixville

Specials: In July, come in and buy two books and score a third free. Each month, there is a different special.

Genres: The Bookworm has fiction, romance, science fiction, mystery, religion, classics, poetry, gardening, humor, entertainment, biography, cooking and history sections, among others.

Donations: Please note that donations are accepted by appointment only and only in small lots. Don’t drop off yard sale leftovers of large collections from cleaning out homes. For more information on the donation policy, see the PDF attached to this article or phone the Bookworm at 610-933-9144.

Volunteering: The Bookworm itself is good on volunteers, but the Phoenixville Hospital Auxiliary could use some volunteer help. Volunteers work in the gift shop and on fundraising efforts.