A Book’s Influence: Cooper Offers Imagination Through Browse About
Cooper shares love of reading through North Wilkesboro store
NORTH WILKESBORO-After 35 years on Main Street, a recent major health event and a pandemic have changed how Margaret Cooper is doing business, but they haven’t stopped her from spreading her love of reading.
For 35 years, Browse About Book Exchange has been a Main Street staple with Margaret Cooper at the helm. She’s driven by her love of books and a belief that, culturally, a place needs a bookstore. Her son, Michael Cooper, also says she “couldn’t bear to get rid of any of her books and needed a place to trade them to get more.”
Margaret says it all began after visiting a book exchange in Boone with her sister. They returned home to West Jefferson with ideas of opening their own shop, which they did in the back of Margaret’s brother-in-law’s gas station in 1981. They later moved to Downtown West Jefferson, and eventually, she opened another location at 906 Main Street in North Wilkesboro. She moved into that spot, which is now the McElwee Law Firm, in September of 1983. Now Browse About is just a few steps down the street at 818 Main Street.
Over the years, Margaret watched many trends come and go. She says when the shop first opened, Danielle Steel was the most requested author, and now it’s James Patterson, Stephen King or Nora Roberts. A few years ago, everyone wanted books about the paranormal. Now? Not so much.
When asked what her favorite book is, she laughs and says, “if the book I’m reading is good, then it is my favorite book.” According to Margaret, her favorites go in phases; she’ll discover a new author and read everything they’ve written before moving on to another author who becomes her “favorite”.
Influencing Both Family And Town
Cooper’s son, Michael, says the bookstore and his mother’s love of reading were a major influence in his life.
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“What a blessing it was to have [Browse About Book Exchange] in the family, and to have a mom who loved reading books,” Michael said. “I didn’t appreciate it like I should growing up. Mom was a reading teacher at the elementary school I attended, C.C. Wright, so I was a little embarrassed to have her nearby every day.”
She also made Michael and his sister read an hour for every hour of television they watched. At the time, the kids didn’t appreciate it, but that one rule helped them develop different interests. For Michael, his days reading histories and biographies sparked an interest in politics and doing something important with his life.
“I owe her that,” Michael said. “And the love of reading stayed with me. You should see my apartment now and all the books I’ve taken home. What a blessing it’s been to walk into the store whenever I’m in town, and grab whatever book looked interesting. It was like having your own personal library.”
The other thing Michael admires about his mother is the role she’s played in the town.
“She’s been on Main Street as long as anyone,” Michael said. “Every day she gets up and goes in, bringing the joy of reading to people’s lives, selling children’s books to kids, westerns to older men, and paperback romance novels to the women in town. And those books can be an escape. For the folks in our small town those books can take you across the world. They can give you adventure and romance, mystery and suspense, and every time something new and different. She’s done that for people of Wilkes for over 35 years. Not just selling books but being a source of entertainment, discovery, imagination, and creativity.”
Reopening on a Limited Basis
Recently, however, following the shutdown of businesses due to the COVID-19 pandemic and a major health scare of her own, Margaret Cooper has been unable to come in to her shop every morning. After undergoing open-heart surgery to replace a valve in February, she experienced complications which kept her in the hospital for an extended period of time.
Upon returning to her store for the first time this week, Margaret said she was overwhelmed by messages from her customers, many of whom are like family. They wondered if she was okay and if the store was still open. She says for now, Browse About Book Exchange will be open on a limited basis by appointment only. Due to her recent health issues, she is especially leery of potential exposure and, because she is very conscious of safety, Cooper is asking all customers to wear masks. She will be cleaning and disinfecting between each appointment. She also says as an added precaution, she will not be accepting books for exchange at this time.
Cooper says people can support Browse About Book Exchange by calling to make appointments to shop. She also offers gift certificates. You can find Browse About here on Facebook or call them at 336–667–2665.
Megan Barnett is a writer for NWNC Magazine.
