A true destination: The Bookworm

Oroville's bookworm

Wherever you travel, there’s bound to be a bookstore. If you’re lucky, you’ll find a used bookstore or a combination of new and used. About twenty years ago, I found myself in Oroville with time to spare and recalled seeing a bookstore on Montgomery Street. Off I went and found myself in an impressive bookstore with neatly racked shelves of books in alphabetical order by author. Fiction, nonfiction, history in all its forms, and a multitude of other topics lined the walls. It was, and still is, a bibliophile’s dream. And so, it has been for me the past 20 years.

When you first meet Ron Hearn, owner of the store, you might be put off by his stern look and demeanor. He looks like he could bear hug you till you passed out. But once you start talking books—and not just the latest whodunit—but books as artifacts of learning, a broad smile widens his grin, and his eyes take on a gleam of excitement. Ron Hearn doesn't just sell books, he lives and breathes them. You see, Ron is a bookworm. His love of books began way back in his childhood, like it does for most avid readers, and continues to this day.

After graduating from Gridley High School, Ron’s adult journey to the Bookworm took him through his enlistment in the U.S. Navy in the late 1960’s, with a side trip to Vietnam along the way. After military service, he enrolled at Humboldt State College and earned a double major in Philosophy and English Literature. You read that right. Those are majors that, in themselves, would prove to be a formidable endeavor for most any student. But for Ron, it provided a stepping stone to a future in education; however, state economics in the ‘70’s curtailed that dream, and he found himself in Oroville.

Providing for a growing family, Ron needed a job, so he made one—he opened up the Bookworm 32 years ago, and it’s going as strong as ever. “When I opened the store, I had to learn how to run a business; how to work,” said Ron. And work he did. The first five years were 8:00am to 8:00pm 360 days a year. With plenty of help from his wife, April, the store made enough to support their family and send the kids through college. Along the way, a loyal customer base formed, and Ron sees customers who called him “Mr. Bookworm” as children who now bring in their children. As Ron said, “I’ve filled the needs of the community, and I’ve had a steady clientele over the years.”

When all is read and done, Ron emphasizes the importance of reading. “I’ve had people in here from two to ninety-seven. Our aim is to keep people reading,” he said. “We have the Little Bookworms program, we sometimes give books away, and we have gift certificates.” With graduation coming up, nothing could be better than giving a book to someone. You’ll find what you need at 2310 Montgomery Street in Oroville.