My Biz: Marion store focuses on children’s books

MARION - At The BookHouse in Marion, most days feel like Christmas.

'Every day we get a shipment of books and we are so excited,” said co-owner Deb Voss.

Located in a more than 100-year-old home on the corner of 13th Street and 9th Avenue, The BookHouse has a long history of providing great books to eager readers.

Voss owns the shop, which solely features children's literature, with friend and business partner Jenny Koechner. And you'd be hard pressed to find anyone more excited about kids and reading than this pair.

'I always have a book in my car or my purse, and we both have a love of getting good books into the hands of kids,” Voss said.

Koechner and Voss, former teachers, bought The BookHouse eight years ago when looking for something to keep them busy after years of staying at home with their growing kids.

Filled from floor to ceiling with books, The BookHouse has a very interesting history.

The home was owned by the Waffle family and sometime around 1883, Owen Gates Waffle started packing up suitcases of books, hopping on the train in Marion Square, and visiting surrounding small town libraries where he'd sell books.

Eventually the books overtook the house and the family had to move into another home just down the street.

The BookHouse, then called O.G. Waffle, stayed in the family for about 80 years before being purchased by Nancy Jennings. It was Jennings who renamed it The BookHouse and focused on children's books.

Today, The BookHouse offers services primarily for school librarians and teachers. Koechner and Voss offer assistance on arranging author visits and hosting book fairs on site for different schools and organizations.

While the books at The BookHouse are focused on readers from preschool to 8th grade, Voss said they really specialize in working with elementary ages.

'We bring big boxes of books to teachers or libraries for them to look at,” Koechner said. 'It's very customized, and we are old fashioned in trusting our customers, but we think it's a nice way to do business.”

'We feel that we can provide a personal touch,” Voss added. 'We've read every single picture book in here, so we are picking the best of the best.”

The two friends quite obviously have a good time working together. They also are entertained by their shop cat, appropriately named Waffles.

While Voss and Koechner have a part-time employee, they work closely to keep the shop running. They share duties in ordering, keeping in touch with their book reps, reading reviews and processing orders from teachers. Koechner handles the newsletter and other communications.

While they enjoy the excuse to read as much as possible, the owners of The BookHouse most appreciate the flexibility that their jobs have provided over the years.

'We used to bring our kids here when we first opened because they were little,” Voss said. 'Now our boys come and mow the front lawn and do their homework after school.”

At A Glance

Owners: Jenny Koechner and Deb Voss

Business: The BookHouse

Address: 897 13th St., Marion

Contact: (319) 373-1832; www.thebookhouseiowa.com

' Know a company in business for more than a year that would make an ideal My Biz? Contact Francie Williamson at francie.williamson@thegazette.com