Inkwatu

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I mentioned in an earlier post that too many Tampans—and I was one like this—think of St. Pete as simply what you have to drive across to get to the beach. Early in my days as a person like that, there was one exception for me: Haslam’s Book Store (2025 Central Ave., St Petersburg, FL 33713; 727-822-8616). Since they were open late on Friday’s, that was my time to go, when I could relax and make it an evening’s entertainment. Haslam’s is an independent bookstore of the sort that doesn’t exist much any more. I use Amazon.com and frequent Borders and Barnes & Noble as much as anyone, but those enormous entities have doomed many independent bookstores to oblivion. I hope that never happens to Haslam’s.

There are, literally, more than a half-dozen rooms crammed with books. They carry all the latest releases, of course, but their biggest strength is the quality and scope of the used books they carry, which are for the most part shelved right along side the new books. The advantage of that for buyers is that if you’re looking for low-carb cookbooks, they’re all in the same spot. Speaking of low-carb, Haslam’s carries–along with other miscellany such as cards, maps, book rests, bookmarks, and such–Atkins low-carb products.

The used books I referred to earlier include some especially interesting categories. One is sheet music. Haslam’s is one of the places a composer or conductor can find full orchestral scores that may have found their way to Haslam’s via some estate sale. There is also an extensive (wish I knew a more forcible word…”vast,” I guess, but I already use that one too much) collection of books on Eastern religions, New Age spirituality, Christian/Hebrew/Muslim mysticism, space alien conspiracies, the occult, and other spooky things. I wander in that section for hours. I wonder how many departed former university profs might be doing the same…!
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Haslam’s is also a good place to buy “Bathtub Books.” That’s what I call the paperbacks you don’t mind getting drenched and swollen when you read them while soaking in a hot tub of Calgon bath bubbles. Stuff like early Ludlum, for instance. Or, Dean Koonz. Stephen King. It’s the breadth and depth of Haslam’s used collection that makes finding such early oeuvre easy.

When you visit the Haslam’s website, be sure to read the store’s history page where you’ll learn that the store was begun during the depression in 1933 by John and Mary Haslam and is now in its third generation of Haslam ownership and operation. The Coming and Past Events pages give you an idea of the special relationship Haslam’s fosters between authors (especially local ones) and their readers. Haslam’s isn’t about coffee shops and pastries (as pleasurable as those are); it’s all about BOOKS. It’s that focus that I hope keeps “Florida’s Largest Book Store” alive for future generations.

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