If you’re looking for a cultural destination, a tiny village between Mt Pleasant and Big Rapids might not be the first place you’d look. But it turns out, the village of Mecosta has some surprising attractions for a village of just over 400 people.
This week we finish out summer On the Map travels with a quick visit to this hidden gem. First stop, a used bookstore complete with crowded aisles, tall stacks of books and a unique character.
Walking into the Mecosta Book Gallery feels like a step back in time. The shelves are crammed with books, still owner John Rau seems to know every book. And every customer. I visited this shop once, for the first time six months ago. But when I walked in, he had a book that I had mentioned waiting for me.
Rau has been selling used books for 30 years… first in Santa Fe, then Grand Rapids, and now in Mecosta. He said, given the passion of readers, he could sell books anywhere. "When we opened bookstore in New Mexico they told us we were on the wrong side of town and we did just fine, and when we open our bookstore in Grand Rapids, we were told by many people that was not the right location to be in, but it worked very, very well. And here, we knew it would work, because it’s on M-20. People drive by and see the sign on the sidewalk. They’ll be back. If they don't stop now".
The other plus, in terms of location, is a unique facility just down the road. The Russell Kirk Center for Cultural Renewal attracts scholars who study the work of the man who is said to have given conservatism its name and genealogy. Rau said the facility is a boon for this book store. "I might be one of the real time booksellers in the areas, I won't say everywhere, that still is able to buy and sell William F Buckley. And side-by-side, I can sell Gore Vidal as well. All thinkers buy both those guys.
Rau said the key is having good books. And lots of them. He said he has more than 100,000 books
squirreled away in his shop. He acknowledged his inventory has shifted in response to the internet. "Especially today, there’s a lot of stuff that I do not buy now that I used to in the days before the internet. A good example is a Scrabble dictionary. beat up, great shape, old, new. But it's all on an app now.
Rau says he stocks the classics… old classics, modern classics, also contemporary titles that are popular today and titles that he and his partner and wife personally feel are important.
He lives books. And is a voracious reader.
This 64 year old calls himself semi retired. He travels during the week buying books. The shop is open 12 hours Saturdays and Sundays. "Part of me probably thought we would slow down and not sell as much, but that’s not the case. So, I think we'll always be doing something along this line. I sometimes say you feed the monster and the monster feeds you. The bookstore does have a life of its own. Maybe it will decide what will happen to itself".
Rau may not know when - or if- he’ll retire, but one thing he says with certainty. When his time comes, quote - “hopefully I’ll have a book in my hand”
