Ann Saville celebrates the 15th anniversary of opening Taylor Books on Capitol Street.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Taylor Books on Capitol Street in downtown Charleston is celebrating its 15th anniversary this week.
"I never had a desire to open a bookstore," owner Ann Saville remembers. "I just wanted to live downtown and I loved these old buildings. If you live up on the hill, you are just in the midst of a bunch of trees."
Saville first learned how to sell books by attending a special three-day school for booksellers in Portland, Ore., hosted by the American Booksellers Association.
"We sold our house and bought this old building," Saville said. "I knew it was a bit of a risk. But life is a risk."
Ann and her husband Paul D. Saville, a rheumatologist, spent five months doing restoration work after buying the building for $225,000. The bookstore opened on July 27, 1995.
Her very first customers, Saville remembers, were Roger Forman, a Charleston lawyer, and his wife Arla.
Jennifer Waggener, who manages Taylor Books today, said, "This is a cultural touchstone. If I didn't work here, I would still come here. We have a very eclectic selection of books and magazines."
Taylor's has sections featuring current bestsellers, fiction, histories and biographies, environmental and political works, art and photography collections, regional studies and a special children's area with tables to read and play. The store also sells dozens of titles at dramatically reduced prices.
"And we have touched a lot of artist's lives by letting display their works here," Waggener said.
Taylor Books has a large gallery to display paintings, drawings, sculptures and photographs -- which are all for sale.
Taylor's also markets a variety of earrings, necklaces, glassware and other crafts primarily made by West Virginians, but also by artists from Kentucky and Ohio.
"We opened the gallery, which was in a separate building, about three or four years after we opened the bookstore," Saville said.
Arnold Harrison, who moved to South Charleston back in 1975 to work for Union Carbide, is a longtime patron.
"This is a unique institution. My friends from larger cities are often jealous they don't have the equivalent available to them. This is a bookstore, coffee shop, wine bar and place with live music on the weekends.
"We are very fortunate to have this combination," Harrison said.
"Regulars make this place," Waggener said. With their different experiences, they are part of the fabric of our store. People come to buy papers, find books and sit in our café.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Taylor Books on Capitol Street in downtown Charleston is celebrating its 15th anniversary this week.
"I never had a desire to open a bookstore," owner Ann Saville remembers. "I just wanted to live downtown and I loved these old buildings. If you live up on the hill, you are just in the midst of a bunch of trees."
Saville first learned how to sell books by attending a special three-day school for booksellers in Portland, Ore., hosted by the American Booksellers Association.
"We sold our house and bought this old building," Saville said. "I knew it was a bit of a risk. But life is a risk."
Ann and her husband Paul D. Saville, a rheumatologist, spent five months doing restoration work after buying the building for $225,000. The bookstore opened on July 27, 1995.
Her very first customers, Saville remembers, were Roger Forman, a Charleston lawyer, and his wife Arla.
Jennifer Waggener, who manages Taylor Books today, said, "This is a cultural touchstone. If I didn't work here, I would still come here. We have a very eclectic selection of books and magazines."
Taylor's has sections featuring current bestsellers, fiction, histories and biographies, environmental and political works, art and photography collections, regional studies and a special children's area with tables to read and play. The store also sells dozens of titles at dramatically reduced prices.
"And we have touched a lot of artist's lives by letting display their works here," Waggener said.
Taylor Books has a large gallery to display paintings, drawings, sculptures and photographs -- which are all for sale.
Taylor's also markets a variety of earrings, necklaces, glassware and other crafts primarily made by West Virginians, but also by artists from Kentucky and Ohio.
"We opened the gallery, which was in a separate building, about three or four years after we opened the bookstore," Saville said.
Arnold Harrison, who moved to South Charleston back in 1975 to work for Union Carbide, is a longtime patron.
"This is a unique institution. My friends from larger cities are often jealous they don't have the equivalent available to them. This is a bookstore, coffee shop, wine bar and place with live music on the weekends.
"We are very fortunate to have this combination," Harrison said.
"Regulars make this place," Waggener said. With their different experiences, they are part of the fabric of our store. People come to buy papers, find books and sit in our café.
"Businesses in the downtown community are very supportive of each other. If one of us succeeds, we all succeed. If one of us loses, all of us lose."
Today, Taylor Books faces problems bookstores around the country face in the computer-internet age.
"There was no Amazon.com when we opened. There was no Kindle," Saville said, referring to the wireless reading device that can download books in less than 60 seconds.
Taylor Books also lost sales when Books-a-Million opened on Corridor G.
"When we first opened, Saturday was the biggest sale day of the week. Now it is the slowest. People started going up to Corridor G," Saville said.
Waggener, who worked for Charles Ryan's public relations firm before coming to Taylor Books, said, "We need two or three more good retail stores down here. Events like Art Walk help our business. And we are looking forward to the opening of Pies and Pints down the street."
Taylor Books has developed a national reputation, appearing on lists of local bookstores around the country recommended to travelers. Taylor's has also been featured in publications such as the "Ladies Home Journal."
Today, Taylor's is also helped by book orders from state agencies, such as the West Virginia Department of Education, especially for local training conferences.
"Facebook has also been terrific," Waggener said. "Since May, we have increased our fan base by 450."
Saville was born Ann Taylor in London on Sept. 14, 1934. She was a registered nurse before moving to the United States with her husband Paul in 1958. The Savilles raised five children. In April, Paul died at the age of 84.
Saville is still delighted to live right above Taylor Books, where she has also been making scones for the past 15 years to sell in the coffee shop.
"This is a marvelous way to grow old," Saville said.
Taylor Books is open seven days a week. Customers who join its book club get $5 discount coupons for every $100 they spend on books.
Updated information about book signings, special programs, live music and store hours is available on its website, www.taylorbooks.com.
Reach Paul J. Nyden at pjny...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-5164.
