A hidden chapter in the city’s North End

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This article was published 09/07/2015 (3732 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

When his football job ended abruptly, Darren Becker opened the book on a new career.

Literally.

Becker took over the Selkirk Book Exchange used-book store from his parents, Donna and Ted Becker, and went from packs of football gear to stacks of books.

A former equipment manager, Becker spent 20 years working for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League, the Tampa Bay Buccanneers of the National Football League and the Scottish Claymores of the NFL Europe before his new chapter began in 2000.

“It is completely different than football where I was constantly on the go with 50 players to look after to being here, with a cat,” said Becker, who worked for the Blue Bombers from 1984-1996. He was the Bombers’ head equipment manager for three seasons in 1994-1996.

A year ago this month, his cat Chili died at age 22. She was a calico cat who was just a kitten when he found her as a stray on Mountain Avenue.

“She was here with me every day. People still ask about her,” he said.

Chili can’t be replaced, he says, so now he putters around as a staff of one in his tidy little used book shop. 

The store, which was originally on Selkirk Avenue, was opened in 1959 by his aunt Liz Kendall and taken over by his parents in 1976, after his aunt died. It had several locations before settling in this one at 442 McGregor St. in a corner building his family bought in 1996. 

I encourage people to leave me their lists. If I don’t have it, I won’t just wait until I get it. I’ll go looking for books,
-Darren Becker, owner

Some things have always stayed the same — cosy confines, knowledgeable staff, a huge selection of over 40,000 books in the 800-square foot shop and a commitment to customer service.

“Most people are really impressed when they come in. They say it’s organized, it’s clean, they don’t have to dig through boxes or worry about knocking things over,” said Becker, who worked summers at the store since the early 1980s so his parents could take a vacation.

Becker is nearly bursting at the seams with books. Books line shelves. Books are in short stacks on bookcases. Books are on his desk. But you can easily find what you are looking for by genre and popular authors.

His dad built all the shelves and will be coming by this week with a new shelving unit to fit in a nook Becker found for more books.

Multiple copies of popular titles are on shelves in the storage room/kitchenette where he’s got a mini fridge, microwave and coffee maker. In the basement, more books — in boxes, bags and on shelves.

“I encourage people to leave me their lists. If I don’t have it, I won’t just wait until I get it. I’ll go looking for books for people to keep my customers happy and keep them as my customers,” said Becker.

There’s always people that just want to feel the book, have the book in their hands.

His sign says “buy, sell, trade” but selling books is the main part of his business. He sells most books for half of the price on the cover. He buys books, as needed, by giving same-day, in-store credit for an agreed upon value.

On this day as Becker sips his coffee and looks out the window by his front desk overlooking McGregor, the bookstore might seem quiet to some. To others, it’s filled with the vibrance of stories to be told, collectors’ treasures and the comfort of the written word.

“I still have all my regulars (customers) and they’ve been coming for years and years,” Becker said. Some of his customers follow what he reads, buying the books ask Becker finishes them.

It’s a lean living, Becker doesn’t try to sugar-coat that.

Becker is peddling paperbacks in a digital world. Just like newspapers, used book stores are finding new ways to survive in an increasing electronic and digital landscape.

“It’s hard now because of all the e-readers, and all the charities that take donations and sell books cheap,” he said.

“There’s always people that just want to feel the book, have the book in their hands. If you have an e-reader and you buy a book, you can’t even share it with anybody. If you come in here and you buy a book, you read it, you can give it to a friend, and when you’re done, you can bring it back and get half your value back.”

ashley.prest@freepress.mb.ca