Anastasia Books is one of five local used bookstores that has outlasted economic downturns and raging storms.
Anastasia Books was among the many local businesses impacted by Hurricane Matthew. Though they already had plans to move from their King Street location, tucked away behind Villa Zorayda, Anastasia Books was pushed out by the effects of the storm.
They prepped for the storm by removing hundreds of books off of the lower shelves, but it wasn’t enough. Six inches of flood water invaded the store, and they lost about 700 books. Friends and volunteers helped remove the soggy volumes and treat the shelves with disinfectant and mold preventatives. The clean up only extended their stay temporarily, so in December they moved to their new location at 76A San Marco Avenue.
The reduction left the store with about 3,000 homeless books. Sandra pointed out, “It was because of my long involvement with the public library that solution was an easy one.” The Friends of the Library organized more than a dozen volunteers to pack and move 200 boxes of books as a donation to the library for future book sales.
Owner Sandra Parks started selling used books in 1987 from her earlier Charlotte Street learning materials store. Thirty years later she still provides affordable, quality used books. Originally a general topic used bookstore, Sandra decided to specialize in history and culture,.
Specializing helped minimize the costly rents of downtown through downsizing their space. Growing up on North Saint George Street and still living downtown today, Sandra has a commitment to the vitality of businesses in the immediate area. Keeping Anastasia Books downtown was a must.
Sandra’s late husband, Stetson Kennedy, was an author, folklorist, and activist. Anastasia Books’ mission parallels his interests and passions, so the store stocks rare and used books about Henry Flagler and other historical Florida figures. A member of the Florida Antiquarian Booksellers Association, Anastasia Books currently has a timeworn copy of Uncle Tom’s Cabin in Germany, but the rarest book they’ve ever sold was the first golf technique book ever published. It was from the late 19th century and sold for over $2,000.
Sandra says, “Used bookstores are increasingly becoming less profitable.” But the store has survived (through recessions and hurricanes) and that’s something Sandra attributes to the efforts of the community. Anastasia Books is one of five used bookstores in St. Augustine–that’s only one less than the number of them in Jacksonville.
Florida writers who write about heritage and culture are invited to schedule a book signing event, particularly during Uptown Saturday Nights. To help local writers, the store doesn’t take commission or charge a fee for signing events.
Anastasia Books is now located at 76A San Marco Avenue. Visit them online at www.facebook.com/AnastasiaBooks.
Image by Ed Taylor
