Ole Grandad's Used Books a tribute to beloved relative

Monday, September 20, 2010

GREENCASTLE -- Danny Mesecher named his vendor space for his grandfather, Virgil Hoffeditz, who instilled in him a love of reading and books.

"My grandpa was an avid reader. We would go to bookstores together. We didn't read the same books, but that was all right with him, he'd buy me any book I wanted to read. My business is called Ole Grandad's Used Books for him."

Ole Grandad's is a new vendor at Martin's Emporium, at 1021 Indianapolis Road. His first month at the emporium was in June. It started because of Mesecher's affection for reading, and his love of book hunting.

"I had a collection of some of my own books, and I can't resist buying a good book," Mesecher said. "I got on eBay and just started buying more books. I finally got so many that I thought, 'Well, they've got a spot in Martin's Emporium. I might as well sign up for it.'

"That's where I'm at now. I'll have between 1,500 to 1,750 books in the next couple of weeks, when I get all the shelves filled."

Mesecher said he was holding on to books for around six months before he decided to get the vendor shelf. He said he would eventually like to open his own bookstore, but his current job would make that difficult.

"I work full-time at Walmart, so figuring out how to do both of them right now would be problematic," Mesecher said. "I can do both right now this way. We'll see how it goes. I do want to stay at Walmart a while longer.

"I think if someone just enjoys something enough, there's no reason they shouldn't try to just go for it," Mesecher said. "If I were a little braver I'd quit my job at Walmart and just have my own place. I'm not that brave yet."

Mesecher said he is starting to become an avid flea market shopper.

"My wife kind of got me into it, and with the books and everything, it started to happen," he said. "She accuses me of looking for my books before I look for stuff for her. I do look for stuff for her, but the books come first."

Hoffeditz, Mesecher's grandfather, died in 1991, and Mesecher still has some of his books, which he said aren't going onto sale shelves.

"They're not being put for sale," Mesecher said. "His bookmarks are still in the spots he put them in. Those books are going nowhere."

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  • Greencastle really needs a book store. I'll have to check out the selection sometime soon.

    -- Posted by PlatyPius on Mon, Sep 20, 2010, at 1:44 AM
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