LOCAL BUSINESS PROFILE: WEE SCOT BOOK SHOPPE
Helen Wintle, owner of Waynesboro’s Wee Scot Book Shoppe, sat down with The Daily Boro to chat about her business.
______________________________
TDB: Did your background teaching English steer you toward the bookstore business?
Helen: I didn’t go into teaching until I was 38, but books have always been a part of my life. When I left teaching, I always thought it would be cool to open a bookshop, but it wasn’t a lifelong dream. But one day I decided that was what I wanted to do.
TDB: How did you find this wonderful space? What was required to prepare it for opening?
Helen: It was a fortuitous discovery. I was driving through town, and this place was empty. I stopped to get the phone number, and as it happened, the Girl Scouts were here; the landlord allowed them to sell their cookies in this space. So it was open and I came in and thought- this feels right. I couldn’t ask for a better space, being right here on the square.
As a teacher, I had the summer off to work on it. We painted the place, I rented scaffolding, and my friend helped me. I sanded and stained all of the wood. Clint, who helps out here, built the shelves. My landlord found the perfect front counter from another shop. It originally came from an 1800s railway station down in Maryland. My grand opening was August 16th, 2019.
TDB: Is your décor inspired by another bookstore?
Helen: There’s a town in Wales, it’s called Hay-on-Wye, and it’s the used book capital of the world. My brother and his wife had been there and told me to check it out. The man who started it all, Richard Booth, I went into his shop. It had wood floors, big leather chairs, and plants. I just loved it. That was the inspiration for what I eventually did with this store.
TDB: Do you have a specialty niche within the book business?
Helen: My favorite thing is vintage- I have people who come in looking for older books. But I sell books for every taste.
TDB: What trends do you see in the independent bookstore industry?
Helen: When I did my business plan, I came across an article about how independent bookstores were making a comeback and that’s what’s happening. When I’m online researching books, I see more and more booksellers I hadn’t previously seen. I can’t say what percentage of those are brick-and-mortar stores, but the general trend is that our industry is growing. People like hard copies of books; they enjoy reading. Every town needs a bookstore.
TDB: Who are your favorite authors, and what reading genres do you admire?
Helen: I like the classics. I’m a Shakespeare fan. As far as newer works, I read historical fiction and mysteries. Louise Penny and Sharon Kay Penman are great. Alan Bradley writes a mystery series, and the main character is an eleven-year-old girl. It’s based in England, and she solves all these mysteries that happen in her village. I read a lot of British authors. But I also love Barbara Kingsolver’s work. She’s one of my favorite authors.
TDB: How has the Waynesboro business climate been for your bookstore?
Helen: It’s a great community, a supportive town. I’ve lived in Waynesboro for over twenty years and have met more people after opening this shop since I previously taught in Smithsburg. I’ve really enjoyed the business atmosphere in Waynesboro. I hear a lot of compliments from people who travel through town, saying how much they like it here. I’ve seen a big improvement in visitation since I opened the business.
TDB: Your dog “Mac” is the namesake for your store. What is her story?
Helen: I’ve always loved Scottie dogs. My sister-in-law called my first Scottie Wee Scot. So Mac is actually the second Wee Scot. I was driving along one day and wondered what to name my place, and it just came to me. It was a great idea to name it for her because people have come here from all over. I had a couple from Ohio who were Scottie lovers- they drove over from Gettysburg to see her. Lady Macbeth is her full name. She lives up to that name; she’s feisty.
TDB: What are the benefits of reading?
Helen: I had a banner in my classroom that said, “Travel the world: read.” I enjoy traveling, so when I can’t explore, I read a book. Reading is a great escape. I used to tell my students I don’t care what you’re reading, as long as you’re doing it. But you have to choose the right book.
_________________________________________
Wee Scot Book Shoppe, 4 E. Main Street, Waynesboro. (717-655-2129) weescotbookshoppe.com.
