SANFORD — Books are opening a new chapter for the food pantry at York County Shelter Programs, and, in turn, the agency is seeing to it that the city’s only bookstore will continue operating.
It nearly didn’t. Books Revisited, which had opened at 882 Main St. about 15 years ago with all-volunteer management and staff, was poised to close at the end of the year.
Books Revisited was a project that began with the idea that selling gently used, donated books could benefit hospice and nursing care programs ”“ and it did. But Home Health Visiting Nurses spokeswoman Mia Millefoglie said book sales were declining, expenses were rising and the agency had to focus on its core mission of providing nursing care. Visiting Nurses had announced the Sanford and Biddeford stores would close, unless another nonprofit group was willing to take over.
Enter York County Shelter Programs, which was looking for a new revenue stream to help fund its food pantry and saw potential in the Sanford book store.
“It seemed like a perfect fit,” said York County Shelter Programs Community Relations Director Joan Sylvester of the Sanford bookshop.
And while Home Health Visiting Nurses noted that revenues declined to about $9,000 annually, down from a high of around $14,000, according to Millefoglie, Sylvester said that lower revenue figure “is a lot of money to us.”
Sylvester said she heard the store was closing through a friend, and that’s when talks began.
“The revenue is helpful to us, and this is a good thing for the community,” Sylvester said. She added HHVN was very supportive, and the transition is going smoothly.
There was a small sign in the window of the bookshop on Tuesday that merely said “We’re staying open,” while inside, there were folks browsing the stacks of gently used hardcovers and paperbacks ”“ ranging from the classics to popular titles only a few months off the presses.
“I’m thrilled” the store will remain open, said Debra Mello as she perused the offerings. “I’m a bookaholic.”
“A lot of people felt this bookstore is a contribution to the community,” said Dr. Muriel Poulin, who has managed the Sanford shop and bevy of volunteers since its inception.
Poulin, who is retired after a long career as a nurse and a nursing professor, manages a staff of 27 regular volunteers and six substitutes. The store is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. six days a week, closing only for holidays and when Sanford schools are closed because of bad weather.
“The shelter is enthusiastic, and we’re enthusiastic,” Poulin said of the volunteers, all of whom plan to continue on.
Richard Johnson, one of two volunteers working Tuesday afternoon, estimated he’s been a volunteer for about five years.
“I enjoy meeting people, and it gets me out of the house,” he said.
Sanford Downtown Legacy President Maura Herlihy, the city’s outgoing mayor, said she is also pleased that the store will stay open.
“It is just the type of retail establishment that encourages people to walk around downtown Sanford,” Herlihy said. “I hope there comes a day that they are joined by more retail establishments, because a downtown full of shoppers and walkers brings great economic vitality to a community.”
The Books Revisited storefront is part of a block owned by Billy Kostis. Millefoglie, of HHVN, and Gendron said Kostis has worked with both agencies.
“He’s been very kind to us, and he’s aware we’re operating as a nonprofit,” said Gendron.
Meanwhile, Tuesday was the last day for the Books Revisited shop in Biddeford, which was located in the Family Dollar plaza on Elm Street. Millefoglie said there is some potential that the bookshop may be incorporated as part of another organization, but that is yet to be finalized.
York County Shelter Development Director Megan Gendron said she anticipates most of the revenue from the Sanford bookstore will help fund the shelter’s food pantry. Demand is up and donations are down, said Gendron, noting the loss a few years ago of $30,000 in funding from York County government.
At the shelter food pantry, Gendron calculated there were 1,699 boxes of food distributed at Thanksgiving, which is enough to feed 7,036 children and adults, up from 1,538 boxes in 2012. The number of boxes of food distributed for Christmas was down a bit from the previous year, but even so, the 668 boxes of food given away at Christmas in 2013 fed 2,363 children and adults, compared with the 2,250 people fed by 750 Christmas boxes in 2012, Gendron said.
— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 (local call in Sanford) or 282-1535, ext. 327 or twells@journaltribune.com.
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