A Bazaar Era for Redmond Bookstore

Things appeared momentarily bleak for Redmond's Friends Bookshop.

The city's planned library remodel could have spelled the end for the cherished 1,000-square-foot used bookstore, located inside. First, construction meant the store would have had to temporarily shut down. Next, a drastically smaller space awaited upon the library's eventual reopening.

That meant the Friends of Redmond Oregon (FORO), which runs the space, needed to come up with another option. So, they opened a second store before discovering that library construction would be postponed — possibly until late next year.

reBOOKS, as the new store's known, found a home inside Redmond's Bazaar. It features an important new addition: Art. Works offered include photographic prints on both paper and canvas, as well as cards and other crafts — all neatly arranged, gallery style, on a wall and table adjacent to the books.

The new shop features work by FORO's Art Committee members. "We want to expand art in the city of Redmond," says FORO President Roz Gamer. "We're looking to encourage reading, art and cultural literacy in the community."

Gamer says both stores are nonprofits, with the library shop giving back to the library, while reBOOKS supports Redmond itself. The gallery fits nicely into the Bazaar, tucked into a corner of the larger store, which sells items including clothes, incense, jewelry, pillows and sporting goods.

FORO also supports the community by donating books to other charitable organizations, such as the Opportunity Foundation, the Food Bank and St. Vincent de Paul.

reBOOKS

531 NW Elm Ave., Redmond (inside Redmond's Bazaar)

541- 548-1015

Tues. – Sat. 10am – 6pm

friendsofredmond.org