Wilson's Book World: Hiding In Plain Sight

MetroPete Staff Writer

Dec 13 |23:29
Last Updated on Tue, 15 Feb 2011 00:19

wilsonslg St. Pete book lovers, you are in for a treat. Hiding in plain sight at 2394 9th Street N, Wilson's Book World is the kind of business the writers of MetroPete love to find and explore. Owned and operated by the same family for nearly 40 years, this shop is a throw-back to a different era. Along with its whimsically mismatched bookshelves and just the right amount of dust, this unique bookstore offers affordable prices on 200,000 titles, genuine medieval texts, comics and original art . . . inside and out.


You have probably driven past Wilson's many times. The seafoam green building sits on the corner immediately across from Dave's Restaurant. From the street, passers-by can glimpse colorful, hand-painted window murals depicting mythical creatures and stacks of books with classic titles. An original work by Peter Bramley, the late National Lampoon illustrator and St. Pete resident, graces the north facing exterior wall.

 

Once inside, aficionados of true bookstores will recognize and appreciate the scent of aged paper and dried binder's glue. Something about Wilson's feels like it has always been part of the streetscape. The term labyrinthine comes to mind as one enters the stacks. Meandering through the extensive selection is easy and relaxing. There is no latte-serving snack bar, no multimedia area, and no computer terminals dotting the floor plan...it is pure bookstore. Best of all is the presence of the knowledgeable proprietor, Jeff Morris, who took ownership from his mother in 1988. Unlike the polo-shirt-wearing swarms found in corporate chain stores, it is not uncommon to see Jeff, his wife (Denise) or daughter (Michelle) cheerfully interacting with both new customers and long time patrons. There is definitely something special about shopping in a store where you know the owners are involved and care about what is going on. The “thank you” at the checkout counter certainly means more.

We interviewed Morris for the better part of an hour for this article and to tell you the truth, we learned too much to share here and now. So, below we've included a teaser of sorts. We encourage you to visit Wilson's Book World and meet Jeff so you can learn the answers to intriguing questions like: 

  • Are you a fifteener?
    Who took the photos on display throughout the store?
    What does Wilson's have to do with Scotch Whiskey?
    When are the informal, round table discussions held?
    Where was the original site of the book store?
    Why did a professional, Renaissance festival insulter spend time at the bookstore in 1996 and 2002?
    How does your book buying process work?
    Are you a fifteener?
  • Who took the photos on display throughout the store?
  • What does Wilson's have to do with Scotch Whiskey?
  • When are the informal, round table discussions held?
  • Where was the original site of the book store?
  • Why did a professional, Renaissance festival insulter spend time at the bookstore in 1996 and 2002?
  • How does your book buying process work?

 

Wilson's Book World

2394 9th St N. - St. Petersburg, FL  33704  -  Hours: Mon-Sat 10a.m. to 6 p.m.  - Ph: 727-896-3700 - Email:  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

 

 

 

Creative Commons License
The MetroPete Web Site by MetroPete Contributors is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License.
Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at www.metropete.com/about.html.