The Book Table: Where Your Story Begins

written by EMILY BUCKLEY, editor in chief

If the streets and buildings of Downtown Logan could talk, they would surely have stories to tell. One of those stories is that of The Book Table, a family business that began in 1933 when a woman would travel to school book fairs with only a bag of books and a card table to sell her products on, and so the name The Book Table was born. She eventually set up shop at 36 West Center Street in Logan, where The White Owl currently operates.

In 1974 Cache Valley entrepreneur Gene Needham purchased The Book Table. He moved it to 87 North Main Street before purchasing the Keith O’Brien department store building at 29 South Main from the Thatcher Family in 1986 and moved The Book Table operations there.

Gene owned the store until his son and daughterin-law, Jeff and Candice Needham, purchased the business in 2013.

Over the years, the store’s offerings have changed, following what Candice calls the ebbs and flows of the market. “We are a niche store, but the niche is constantly changing,” Candice said. “We are always trying to find unique offerings for Cache Valley residents.”

When Jeff and Candice bought the store, it boasted one of Cache Valley’s most complete VHS rental sections, as that market dwindled the store evolved. They remain, however, one of the last 2,000 independent bookstores in the United States. Current store offerings include books, musical instruments, sheet music, games, toys, puzzles, children’s dress-ups, LDS products, home décor and boutique products, locally made products, and more.

“Our tagline is ‘Where Your Story Begins,’” Candice said. “We’ve tried to create a place where people can come in and create their story, whether that is diving into a story about a knight with a dress-up to match, learning to play an instrument, or finding a new cookbook and learning to cook.”

As if running a 36,000-square-foot retail store and managing 20 employees isn’t enough to keep a woman busy, Candice is also the mother of six. Over the years she has become a master multi-tasker. She says one of the benefits of owning her own business is the ability to involve her children in her work. “We have a nursery built into our office space, so all of my babies have come to work with me,” Candice said. “All of the kids have grown up helping the store, and our oldest son is now an official employee.”

Her ability to balance it all was tested during the last weeks of school when children were required to school at home during the COVID-19 shutdown and she was left to homeschool and be an innovative business owner all at once.

“You just do what you have to do,” Candice said of the experience. “I keep telling myself the same thing I’ve been reminding my kids: ‘You can do harder things than you think you can … that is where you grow. Hopefully we can all look back at this experience and say it was an opportunity to rise.”

Jeff and Candice Needham, owners of The Book Table, and their children Rylan, Easton, Blakely, Lincoln, Leighton, and Emery, at their home. They are currently restoring the historic property known as the David Eccles House on Center Street.

You’ve stepped up. Treat yourself and a friend, too!

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10 Ways to Add Instant Curb Appeal to Your Home This Summer

written by BLAKE OSTLER, realtor, Jette Youngblood Real Estate

Interest rates are still historically low and the housing market is hot, so whether you are planning to sell your home or just want to increase the curb appeal of your home for your own enjoyment, these 10 tips will give your home an instant boost.

ADD SHUTTERS Framing the windows, shutters offer big impact without any structural work. They can be purchased at almost any home improvement store or could be the perfect DIY weekend project.

GIVE YOUR FRONT DOOR PERSONALITY Want to make your home stand out in an otherwise “cookie-cutter” neighborhood, or provide a welcoming vibe for everyone who pulls up to your home? A pop of color on your front door will do the trick. With a little elbow grease, painting your front door will only take a couple of hours and can add an instant “wow factor” to any home.

PLANT FLOWERS Give your house a homey feeling by adding a flower bed along the front of the house or walkway. This helps to soften the harsh lines of the house. Be sure to keep plants 18-to-24 inches away from the house to prevent pests like spiders. Also, watch the size of your plants, keeping tall plants in the back and short plants in the front. Take time to plan so you have things blooming in different seasons.

MAKE GARAGE DOORS INTERESTING Add hardware to your garage door to bring it from boring to beautiful. Kits are available for purchase to make it a simple project.

SPRUCE UP YOUR FRONT PORCH Adding chairs or furniture to your front porch says, “Come sit, have a cold lemonade, and visit!” There’s something magical and almost historical about sitting on the front porch and watching the world around you on a hot summer day.

FRESHEN UP YOUR MAILBOX Giving your mailbox a nice post, fresh paint, and new numbers can add instant value. It’s one of the first things people see as they come up to your house, and it’s probably the most overlooked.

BUY SOME POTTED PLANTS A colorful container of annual flowers is an affordable way to add instant curb appeal. Colored pots like blue or yellow are very popular right now.

UPDATE YOUR HOUSE NUMBERS Show some personality and make your house numbers stand out from the road. Use flowers, lights, or oversized numbers to achieve this look.

MAKE A SIMPLE, YET STUNNING, PORCH DISPLAY Nothing says “welcome to my home” like a wreath on the door, potted greens or trees on the porch, or a nice welcome mat at the door.

ADD AMBIENT LIGHT Solar lights are a great and affordable way to add ambient lighting at dusk and dark. There’s something magical about lighting up your home with an elegant display of lighting.