Brandy Meyer, president of the Ceres Chamber of Commerce, has dreamed of opening a combination book store and sandwich shop for years but now it’s finally coming to fruition.
On Friday Brandy and husband Keith gave a public a preview of how BK Books & More and companion Lil Papa’s Sandwiches & More are coming along at 2947 and 2943 Fourth Street, respectively.
“It’s going to be great to have a book store in Ceres,” said Candy Brown who dropped by during the hour-long introductory event.
The book store opened this week but it will take about three weeks for the sandwich shop next door to open. Keith, who has experience running food establishments, is in charge of the sandwich shop, which will sell sandwiches and hot dogs, pastries and continental breakfast items like bagels, muffins, biscuits and gravy and pastries.
The couple hopes create a passageway opening in the wall separating the two businesses for easier access between the two. She said a cinder block wall will need to be cut and retrofitted so, in the meantime, the shops will be accessible by two different separate doors at the front of the building.
Meyer said the shop has 15,000 used books and some new books with more coming. The books, worth more than $35,000, came from Lightly Used Books which closed recently in Turlock. New books will also be added into the mix as the store progresses.
The shop has books of all genres, including history, politics, romance, religion, biography, autobiography, mystery, cookbooks, children’s, fiction, science fiction, action-adventure, horror, pets and animals, poetry, true crime, military and westerns.
Most of the books are priced at half of the original price, said Meyer, or priced at what they were at Lightly Used Books. Thus, a book that once retailed for $25.95 can sell for $10 but prices vary based on condition as well.
The store will offer a Loyalty Book Club membership
A large area in back of the spacious store is intended to be a place for special events, such as Bunco nights, CPR classes, sip and paint nights, said Brandy Meyer.
Four employees have been hired to man the book store, which will be open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays.
Nine employees have been hired for Lil Papa’s which will be open 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays.
The last book store in Ceres in recent memory was across the street, Melody Corner Bible Book Store which was operated by Jim and Marilyn Luton.
Book signing
During Friday’s reveal gathering, Ceres author Patti Robinson was on hand selling her pre-signed books, “In God’s Grip: A Journey of Hope” published in 2020 and “Daily Faith-Lifts” which came out last year.
“Both of these books were written at the same time – I just didn’t know it,” said Robinson. She explained that her works were the product of diary entries at a time when she was going through health and parenting struggles.
“It was hard to get through to revisit things that happened in my childhood, but that’s where this book came alive.”
Robinson, a Christian, never thought she would write a book until her pastor challenges everyone in the congregation to come up with a goal by the end of the year.
“So I was pushed and pushed and pushed and I was like, ‘Okay, I’ll write two books.”
“Through my parenting and through my health, in the early mornings, I didn’t feel like I had the words to pray anymore. I just had tears. And through the tears, I felt like God was showing up and telling me things. And I wanted to write him down, because I didn’t want to forget them. And I left it in a big binder, and one day I thought, ‘I wonder if somebody else could use a little home each day?’”
“Daily Faith-Lifts” is essentially a daily devotional with a Bible verse and a message of hope.
“We all are going through struggles. The whole reason why I chose to write books is I wanted people to understand that they could be a victor over their circumstances instead of a victim of their circumstances, and that they’re not alone.”
Besides the local book store, Robinson’s books may be purchased through Amazon.
