The Book House — Local services in Maplewood

It was then, when another customer approached the owner, begging her to stop screaming, I realized two things: This wasn’t her first anger rodeo and I’d be penning a Google review about this . . . .

Having recently been hired to teach American literature at a nearby university, my wife and I set out to explore the various bookstores the region has to offer. The Book House was one of the first on our list.

Bibliophiles are immediately met by floor-to-ceiling shelves and are literally knee-deep in yet-to-be-stocked volumes. While making inventory notes for my book-hungry graduate students, I pulled a new copy of Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five for my wife. During my perusing, I’d struck up a conversation with an employee, Dave, who had yet to read Don Quixote. Happy to spread the literary gospel, I bought the book and gifted it to Dave before wishing him a good day while handing my wife her surprise.

Two weeks pass. My wife arrives home to report she had finished the novel but the binding had crumbled in the process, most likely a result of having been stored in a distributor’s warehouse with poor climate control. I called ahead to ensure The Book House stood by their product.

Upon arrival, we were greeted by the owner, Michelle Barron. She was midway through lunch, a half-eaten container of hummus summiting a mountain of books piled on the front desk.

I first asked whether Dave was available so as to inquire how he was enjoying Don Quixote. She stated he was at lunch before turning to my wife, who was holding her disheveled edition of Vonnegut.

“Oh, it’s you,” Michelle grumbled before haggardly getting up and, while sauntering to the back to retrieve a replacement copy, emphasized she rarely allowed returns.

Confused, my wife relayed, “But you said over the phone you’d had this problem with the publisher before.”

“Yes, but if I do returns, you need to bring the book back in 48 hours,” Michelle rebutted as she pointedly slung the new paperback down before my wife.

My wife apologized, “I’m sorry. I work a hectic job [in ER] and didn’t have time to read it immediately in case it fell apart.”

“So you read all of it?” the owner asked, incensed.

“Yes.”

“You misrepresented the situation!” Michelle literally yelled, spraying hummus on the books laid out before her.

Because God has a sense of humor, it was then that Dave returned from lunch.

“Dave, did you sell this book to this woman?” Michelle spewed at her unsuspecting employee while jutting the loose leaf volume into his chest.

Understandably confused—glancing from the book, to me, to my wife, and back at me—Dave wagered, “Yeah, I . . . uh. Oh, you bought me the copy of Don Quixote.”

Now enraged because Dave hadn’t unhesitatingly sided with his employer, Michelle began screaming incoherently at the top of her lungs. It was eerily reminiscent of the Red Queen’s segment in Alice in Wonderland, so much so I half-expected Michelle to demand “Off with their heads!”

My wife left.

At this juncture, another customer appeared (the store is small and Michelle’s yelling could be heard throughout), who implored the owner to take a breath.

Michelle persisted, displaying emotion not typically seen outside a Trump rally.

I informed Michelle that my wife was no longer in the building, that the particular article of business was closed, business which had nothing to do with the customer standing before her (me), and politely requested she quit screaming.

She stopped. I asked whether she had regained her composure. She said she had.

I began to explain I was a newly hired literature professor looking for a local bookseller to direct my graduate students. However, before I could utter the latter half of the sentence, like a petulant child, Michelle mimicked bowing down and mockingly chanted, “Oh, great expert.”

I was speechless that an adult could be so belligerent.

I left.

Glancing at other reviews, it would seem my experience is far from an isolated instance of someone having a bad day. I would not recommend...

I'm writing this review as more of a kid-friendly warning, So that Parents are aware of possible issues with the ScoobyDoo villian who runs the establishment. It was the annual "Maplewood Holiday Night" event and My family always likes the atmosphere along the old row of local stores. My Sons favorite was "The Book House" until that night came to a close. He was shopping around and found a book about Fangorias best horror movies of all time. More of a coffeetable book, but one he had to have. The prices of the books are written on the inside cover, it read 10dollars. He went to check out, and the clerk (whom i also believe to be the owner) looked inside and and saw the price, then accused him of somehow changing the price of the book, to his benefit! The clerk said there was alot of interest in it, so she knows she marked it higher. She told him it was a crime to change prices and she could call the police! He walked away with my Wife emptyhanded and was pretty upset. My Wife checked the price of the book and Amazon has it listed used "very good" for 10dollars as well. She chose NOT to go back in and lose her mind, in the spirit of the holidays (and a local owner herself right across the road) She didnt want to cause a scene. Me, Im not so nice. allow me to tell you, Reverse Sherlock Holmes..your attitude is for sh*t. You accused a boy of changing a price in book, like he maliciously carries a pencil in his pocket for this very thing, bilking businesses out of their wears for his chosen price. Im sure earlier in the day he decided to pull the caper of all capers and erase your writing to add his... If your day was finally made by accusing my Son of your "mispenciling"? Congrats!! You lost my future business and the 13.oo i paid (with shipping) to Amazon instead of supporting your local shop. Next time you feel like stopping a crime in progress, find a real one. Plenty of it in and...

As an avid ("constant," if you read him often) Stephen King reader, I've come to suspect that there are certain places in the world that are hidden...in a special way. These places are often right in front of you, smack in the middle of Hometown, USA. I think The Book House is one of those places! I have been on a Dark Tower Series journey for over two years now, and it concluded with The Book House. I am such a weird person that I like to buy my books from second-hand book stores, and they MUST be the same publisher, dimensions, cover art, etc. I started The Dark Tower, and unbeknownst to me at the time, bought a copy that was part of a set LEAST published and MOST difficult to find...This was in Lakeland, FL in 2019...Finally, in 2022, after moving to California (LA) and scouring the territory and internet, I was able to find the last book in my lunatic search, and I found it, through a Reddit connection, who happened upon a second-hand book shop named "The Book House" while they were temporarily in St. Louis. If this little place could have such an impact on me, and me never having been there in person, imagine how it could change you if you frequent it??? Thank you to The Book House for helping continue my Stephen King...