We continue to move further out in time and space (from my original neighborhood) as I explore memories of more York businesses. This time: the Paperback Trade.
I’m not sure how I first heard of it. It was located in a large room of a school building converted into stores, so it had probably been a classroom originally. It featured many lines of shelves—more akin to a library—and they were filled with used paperbacks.
The business model was simple: bring your used books in for credit and purchase others with that credit (and usually some additional cash).
For me, the most interesting discovery on my first visit was the proprietor. The sign said “Vanetia Heilman.” I knew her as Vanny from high school. In my freshman year we arranged a ride to school with a senior named Cosimo “Nick” Sciortino. He was friends with Roger Clinch, a neighbor of my cousin Bill and, since Nick was coming to the neighborhood to pick up Roger, he agreed to ferry us as well for 50 cents a week. (When I would start driving a few years later, gas would be 36 cents a gallon.)
One day Nick’s finned car appeared and Bill and I piled in to the backseat, and quickly realized that there was a fifth passenger. Seated between Nick and Roger in the front seat was a junior who introduced herself as Vanny. I think she rode with us the rest of the year and, although we had little conversational interaction, with her smiling and positive demeanor I felt like I knew her.
Forward into the future: We did have longer chats as I checked out my science fiction selections. I have no recollection of those conversations.
Back to the store itself: The major genre of books traded were romances, and they soon grew so overwhelming in number that Vannie expanded into a second room. There may have even been a third room.
At some point I left York and lost track of the ‘Trade for awhile, but later on, on monthly visits to my mother, I took her to the new Paperback Trade, opened in West York. It had been taken over by a new owner who really specialized in romances. She had a built-in play area for her son, Mycroft, and mentioned plans to develop a cafe so there could be book club meetings and such.
Today? Google searches for “paperback trade York Pa” turns up nothing at the old address. I guess it didn’t survive.
I wonder less what happened to it and more about Vannie.
MUSOFYR 