New secondhand bookstore coming to downtown Dayton

Larkin Vonalt, executive director of Dayton Book Fair, said an opening is planned before Christmas with an expansion to the space next door by March.

“People have been very generous with us and we feel like it’s part of our mission to make the best use of what they give us,” Vonalt said.

Dayton Book Fair is a nonprofit organization that collects books year-round and then sells them online and at its annual sale. Proceeds from the sale benefit three local nonprofits each year. Vonalt explained last year they had 50 tons of books at the annual sale but ultimately recycled 10 tons.

“Everybody works so hard and just the idea of throwing those books out at the end of the sale... was just sickening,” Vonalt said.

The bookstore is giving those books another chance.

Vonalt said the store will be lined with thousands of used books for all ages costing $1.

“When you have a commodity that’s just a dollar and you don’t know exactly what they have because it’s a used stock, there’s a little bit of a treasure hunt atmosphere,” Vonalt said.

She explained people can expect an organized and pleasant environment where they can hangout and even grab a cup of joe. Rabbit Hole Books is planning to partner with a local business to serve coffee and sweet treats. The bookstore will also have greeting cards, writing-themed gifts and more.

“What we’re looking forward to the most is exploring this new way to connect with the community over books,” Vonalt said. “We’ve been providing books in this community and helping people with a meaningful place to donate their books for more than 50 years.”

Dayton Book Fair’s annual sale is Nov. 11-14 at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds. Admission on Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. is $10. Saturday and Sunday admission is free. Customers will be able to fill a bag for $10 on Sunday. Admission on Monday is $1 and customers can take all the books they want. Proceeds this year will benefit Crayons to Classrooms, Five Rivers MetroParks Foundation and Hannah’s Treasure Chest.

The annual sale will continue once the bookstore is up and running, Vonalt said. Applications are open to become a beneficiary of the book fair for next year. The deadline is early January.

For more information, visit www.daytonbookfair.com or the foundation’s Facebook page. A website for the bookstore is coming soon.