In an economy constantly fluctuating, and a state that boasts one of the highest cost of living rankings in the country, it can hardly be wondered why the term ‘secondhand’ has exploded in popularity – even when it comes to seemingly inexpensive hobbies like reading.
Since 2015, Kristi Crawford has committed to providing fellow book lovers a space to pick up their favorite titles without creating a massive dent in their bank account. As the sole owner and proprietor of The Book Odyssey, found in downtown Atascadero just off Traffic Way, Crawford works to sell pre-loved books at more accessible prices than what the mainstream market offers.
“We’re the only proper bookstore in Atascadero since COVID, so it’s cool being the only bookstore in town,” she said. “We do have a lot of customers that come every single week, or every couple weeks or every month. A lot of regulars, so it’s very nice to see.”
Crawford also explained The Book Odyssey’s unique book-buying system, which allows customers to bring in unwanted books to exchange for cash or store credit. “More and more people are bringing them in to sell over the counter, which is great, because there aren’t a lot of other places – unless you’re going to do Craigslist or eBay – you can’t really get your money back,” she said. “So this is a good way for you to get a little bit of your money back or get some store credit to put towards a future purchase.”
As Crawford and her staff do not have consistent book-buying days every week, she recommends checking The Book Odyssey’s Instagram account for updates or calling in ahead of time to check if a buyer is available. She also emphasized her commitment to providing quality and a well-curated selection of novels. “We’re selective… we tend to reject a lot,” she said. “It’s based on condition – that’s really important, since we’re looking to resell. Other than that, we’re looking for what will have quick turnover, what our customers are buying and what we don’t already have too much of.”
While The Book Odyssey houses books of all kinds on its store shelves – from classics to mysteries to young adult genres – some of Crawford’s favorites to stock are fantasy and science fiction. “I’ve picked up on science fiction and fantasy readers being collectors – they buy their books and they don’t give them up,” she said. “So that’s kind of fun – it makes it more of a hunt. It’s exciting when people bring that stuff in and I get to carry it, just because it feels like more of a challenge.”
In the last couple of years, Crawford has also begun stocking newer releases that customers have brought in over time through the book-buying process. She initially hesitated to introduce such books to her store, as they were priced higher than most other items. “I know it’s a used bookstore, and people do want used prices,” she said. “But it seemed like the more we were carrying, the more came in. So that’s been kind of interesting and fun, and it’s nice to see that people are still willing to pay a little bit more for something when it’s the current value.”
From her perspective as a small business owner, Crawford said she has loved being a part of the bookstore community and collaborating with other locals in the area. “I like working with a lot of local artists and having them do their takes on the store – like the drawing for our sweatshirts that my friend did,” she said.
Crawford has also sold other merchandise at The Book Odyssey in the past that reflects the work of various artists in SLO County, such as pottery mugs, postcards and stickers. “Stuff like that makes it feel really ‘small community’ and special,” she said.
Above all, Crawford enjoys being able to provide an affordable place where customers of all ages and from all genres can find a good secondhand book. She hopes that The Book Odyssey continues to be an integral part of SLO County’s bookstore community and the reading community as a whole, saying,“I love the space we have. I love the community, I love my neighbors.”
