Encore Books Took a Chance

Encore Books once was a regional bookstore chain. I knew of two bookstores in the Central Jersey Shore area. One was near Sea Girt, perhaps the town was actually Wall. It was in a shopping center that had a Foodtown as an anchor store. The other Encore Books I knew of was in Manahawkin, New Jersey right on Route 72. 

Image what it’s like to walk into one of those stores and say that you have a book, "can you carry it?" I didn’t know about distribution at that time. It took guts to pull that move. The managers had say on how the store ran so they ordered my books. They even arranged book signings. 

I did signings and sold a few books at each event. 

The biggest thrill was that first time I walked into the store and found that they sold one copy. That was the biggest thrill of being a new author. That book wasn’t bought by a family member. It wasn’t a pity buy from a friend. This was a total stranger that saw the book and thought he or she would give it a try. 

Encore Books closed in1999, but I will always fondly remember them and the chance those two stores took on me. The first picture is the table that the store set up for me. The second is a bad shot of the sign that THEY made for ME!  What a great store. 

It was fun Encore Books. Thank you!