3 minute read
Readers Are Leaders at The Open Book
Readers Are Leaders at The Open Book
By Jodi Nash
“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go,” said the very wise Dr. Seuss. And if leaders are readers, then Cammie Fuller, owner of The Open Book, Warrenton’s warm and welcoming book store is leading the way.
“Every town needs a book store, a place where you can plunk down in a chair, nestle in and talk about what you’re reading” Cammie said.
The librarian at St. James Episcopal School for two years, she had nowhere to send children to buy books except Barnes and Noble in Manassas. There were lots of readers, just not enough books.
“The public library is wonderful,” she said. “It fills some needs, but not all, and often a book might be checked out for months, or there’s a long waiting list,” she said.
Because she enjoyed matching kids with books that fit their personal interests and age group, students and parents both encouraged her to imagine a little bookstore on Main Street in Warrenton. She did more than that—she jumped in, opening in March, 2019, just in time to face the challenge of the pandemic. She switched the business to online only and closed the store to the public.
Cammie kept on her employees who wanted to keep working, delivering books for free to people in lock-down mode for over three months, or running book orders to customers curbside to build up good will and stay connected to the community. It was a much appreciated gesture, and in response there was a significant surge in orders.
Always passionate about reading, Cammie has a Masters in social work from Catholic University, and a Bachelor’s in art and film from the University of Vermont. As a child, her family relocated 11 times before she entered high school to accommodate her father’s career as an engineer.
But the comfy, overstuffed chair sitting in back of the store keeps the best of home close to her heart. It belonged to her late mother, who, she said, “read all the time, to me, to her grandbabies …we shared books our whole lives.”
“The shop is a magical place, where we hope to inspire people,” she said. “What are you reading now? That conversation is important because it helps people connect in new ways. Stories matter, authenticity matters, and the freedom to choose what you read is the opportunity to grow, learn, and ultimately find our way to a better place.”
The process of selecting books is challenging, as is deciding on the number to order. Her customers are somewhat eclectic in their choices, ranging from history and politics, to fiction, children’s board games and picture books, and of course gift editions of classics.
She personally likes books with a voice, a heart, and an authentic story backed by a genuine command of knowledge.
“I always read the first two pages of a book before I buy it,” she said, adding that if it grabs her by then, it’s a purchase.
