Used and rare books and coffee still going strong

News

Staff Writer

Chamblin’s Uptown, the used and rare book store and coffee shop near the Main Library, is now past its second anniversary on Laura Street. Owner Ron Chamblin said it’s been a great time and he’s glad every day he decided to expand his business with a Downtown location.

“Being Downtown has been a positive thing,” he said. “We’re making money, which is going to pay down the debt.”

Chamblin bought, gutted and completely renovated the two-story structure. In addition to hundreds of feet of book shelves, an elevator was installed and the building was brought up to modern codes and standards.

He added that the success of the cafe part of the operation has been a pleasant surprise, with revenue surpassing his expectations.

“We opened with prices that were a little below the market because we wanted to develop a following. We had to have a small increase in February, but nobody seems to mind,” said Chamblin.

New books are added to the inventory almost every day. While most of the books are at bargain prices, Chamblin is always on the lookout for rare titles and special-interest titles. First editions are particularly valuable, with some of his finds commanding prices in the five-figure range.

Chamblin predicts growth for Downtown, as more businesses open in the urban core. He said he’d support an aggressive effort to recruit more companies to set up shop and more residents to set up housekeeping Downtown.

“We need more foot traffic, whether it’s from people who work here or those who live here. I think progress can be made if we put out the effort,” said Chamblin. “As traffic increases, more types of retail businesses can survive here. Get enough workers and residents and any type of retail could succeed,” he said.

As the economy improves, Chamblin said he could see a trend for businesses to move back Downtown, reversing what he called the “exodus” to the suburbs that occurred in the 1970s and ‘80s.

“It’s fun to see Downtown improving. It may take a few years, but I think we’ll see more people realize Downtown is a good place to work and live. People need to understand they can succeed Downtown if they have a good business concept and they’re willing to work,” said Chamblin.

He’s looking forward to the Laura Street improvement project reaching his block near Hemming Plaza. It’s the last phase of the streetscape renovation and Chamblin realizes there will be some disruption during construction, but he said there’s always a price to pay for progress.

“I don’t think it’s going to bother us that much, and the street needs improvement,” said Chamblin. “I consider myself lucky to have bought a building on the street that’s going to be the prettiest one in the county.”