PRINTWalls of books worth a look
Family business brings character to Columbia
Bev Denny
Sara O’Shea, from Crystal City, spends time searching the shelves of Adams Walls of Books. The bookstore has been open since the 1950s and has remained a Columbia staple because of the original owner’s daughter.
June 12, 2008 | 12:00 a.m. CST
On Eighth Street, a small wonder houses stacks of used books piled to the ceiling. Unable to fit into their cases, more books litter the floor. The bookstore, Adams Walls of Books, welcomes customers with an open door because of its lack of air conditioning and reliance on natural light. Patrons appreciate that they can find rare and unusual books written by historians and writers of the past and present without emptying their wallets.
“Here you come across some unusual bargain books you can’t find at other book stores,” says Richard Schmaltz, a cardiothoracic surgeon at the Truman Veterans Hospital. “A used bookstore like this gives opportunities for people who are into reading more in-depth and not spending as much money.”
Nancy Duncan tells us her picks for the right book to read in any situation.
On a dark and stormy night
The Children by David Halberstam
History of the civil rights movement, wonderfully told. Great respect for Halberstam’s works.”
Before bed
Magical Thinking by Augusten Burroughs
“Entertaining, but easy to put down because written in small segments. I’ll stay up all night reading if a book is too engrossing. Another good choice: Anna Quindlen’s collection of columns.”
At the beach
“I love my books too much to get them around water, would have to be a mass market paperback like Andrew Barrett or Jon Krakauer.”
Aloud to children
Cadillac by Charles Temple or
Mortimer by Robert Munsch
Schmaltz has been visiting Adams Wall of Books to buy history and philosophy books for about two years. Other customers have been visiting the store much longer. Mary Barile, a Ph.D. student in theater history at MU, has been a loyal customer for the past 12 years.
“It’s always a lot of fun; you never know what you’ll find,” Barile says. “This is the kind of bookstore that is disappearing fast, which is sad. Now, bookselling is done over the Web, and many of the smaller bookstores have given up their shops and are only online. Those of us who love books beyond reason feel that we’ve lost something precious since the shops have closed: a chance to be with books and folks who share our passion. Ike Adams’ place is one of those rare survivals.”
Located at 214 N. Eighth St., the store is owned by Nancy Adams Duncan, who is also a kindergarten teacher at Blue Ridge Elementary School. Duncan’s father, Ike Adams, operated the business as a book and hobby store and created the name, Adams Walls of Books, almost 60 years ago.
Store hours are Saturdays from 1-4 p.m. because of Duncan’s primary job and a tradition she kept after her father died in 2002.
“After my mom passed away, it was surprising –– he kind of went into a slump, and (it) wasn’t open for about 6 months,” Duncan says. “I said, ‘I’ll go to the store with you on Saturdays for a couple of hours if you want to be open,’ and so that’s what he did the last few years, and I have just maintained that. I’m glad I did. I learned an awful lot from him.”
Despite the unusual operating hours, customers seem to come back every week to browse the titles.
With its door wide open during the warm afternoons, the store often draws in passersby such as Vince Foley, a computer programmer for MU, who stopped in after noticing the store while riding his bike.
Adams Walls of Books is best known for its obscure books on nonfiction classical literature, but with around 60,000 titles, it has something to offer most readers.
“Essentially, I will buy a book anytime, anyplace, anywhere if it is something I’m interested in,” Duncan says. “I do love to buy books. I think it’s that adrenaline push that you’re going to find that rare goodie.”
Even her co-workers at Blue Ridge are familiar with Duncan’s passion for books and how particular she is about the books she purchases.
“She’s always going to book sales,” says Amanda Wright, a fellow kindergarten teacher. “She’s very dedicated on finding good books because she’ll say she’ll dig through thousands of books.”
Rummage sales, estate sales, book sales and library sales are just a few of the places Duncan searches to find her selected books. Often her daughter, Lisa Wischmeyer, accompanies her on these excursions. She also helps with selling books online through eBay.
“I’m basically her assistant, a pupil; she’s the teacher,” Wischmeyer says. “She learned from my grandpa, and I’m learning from her.” Like her grandpa, her mom has a good eye for books, she says.
Duncan’s method of purchasing books might be limitless, but she also considers the interests of her customers while shopping. She often caters to them by purchasing books she knows they would be interested in and setting them out in case they come in to shop.
Duncan enjoys what she does and plans to keep the store open and continue buying books as long as she can. Wischmeyer also plans to continue helping with the store and keep the family’s history alive.
“Hopefully one day I can continue, and the store will be mine and my sons,” Wischmeyer says.
