Alana O鈥機onnor has found her comfortable niche in life with her Book & Bean shop.
After 15 months in business on Aldergrove鈥檚 downtown commercial strip, the cosy little used books and fresh-made coffee shop has gained a loyal clientele of readers and coffee lovers.
鈥淲e鈥檝e been well-received,鈥� said O鈥機onnor.
鈥淲e鈥檙e not the trendy store on the block, but people like our calm, serene atmosphere, whether it鈥檚 just for the food and drink, or just for the books, or both.鈥�
This pace of life also suits O鈥機onnor, who after many years of working in the corporate world with its 鈥渋nsane, long hours鈥� and travel demands, can now walk to work from her family鈥檚 home in Aldergrove.
鈥淚t鈥檚 nice to be close to home,鈥� said O鈥機onnor, who works about 40 hours a week in the shop, while her long-time friend Micky Priest works the other 35 hours that the shop is open.
The shop now has over 10,000 book titles in stock, in all genres, and all are brought in by customers who trade in their books for credits for new books.
An avid reader herself, O鈥機onnor says it鈥檚 鈥渉eart-warming鈥� to see that many people, and not all of them older people, prefer reading books to poring over electronic or digital devices.
The shop offers free wifi, which is popular among the customers, 鈥渂ut surprisingly, we have a lot of kids, and teens too, who prefer to read books, from the classics to the newer titles.鈥�
The shop has hosted two book signings, with Nova Bannatyne-Eng (which raised $300 for the Cerebral Palsy Association of B.C.), and Marty Allen, who writes the 鈥淐orporal James Vaanes鈥� series of murder mysteries.
And every second Friday evening from 6 to 9 p.m. the shop has an open mic night with Aldergrove performer Patricia Dunphy as host. The next open mic nights are Dec. 15 and 28.
She also supports the 鈥渂uy local鈥� philosophy, and sources her drinks and baked goods from local suppliers, such as Pacific Coffee Roasters from Chilliwack and Monte Cristo bakery in Delta.
It鈥檚 a combination that has proved successful, so much so that the shop is donating all of its tips to the Food Bank.
鈥淲e have a $1,000 collected in tips from the past few months that we will be donating to the Food Bank just in time for Christmas, and we have started collecting tips for our next donation,鈥� said O鈥機onnor.
