Whitefish book store relies on experience to keep well-stocked shelves

In a world of easy online shopping, the art of browsing is lost. Physical shelves invite the spark of spontaneous intrigue — and that’s how the staff at Bookworks in Whitefish curates the aisles so customers may find such a pleasant surprise. 

And many have appreciated the store’s tight layout, which leads one from books to unique gift wrapping to a very broad array of sentiment cards. 

Owner Cheryl Watkins has been selling books since 1996 when she acquired the store from Mary Pat Love, who ran the same shop beginning in the early 1970s. The store moved to its current location just off Spokane Avenue in 2000. 

“It’s all about the love of an independent bookstore,” Watkins says, noting that despite the rising cost of books — especially children’s books — and what she calls a side-street location off of Whitefish’s busy Central Avenue, at least 50 people drop by on a good day. Many of those customers are regulars, with tastes ranging from popular to out-of-print obscurity. 

Bookworks has been there for locals and curious tourists for a long time, and weathered many storms: The rise of the internet, the fear of e-books making paper obsolete, and the pandemic’s grinding halt to in-person shopping. 

Now the challenge for independent bookstores, according to Watkins, is offering something shoppers can’t get from an online retailer who brings books right to the doorstep. 

“We don’t have any of those magic wands, or some point of sale system,” she says while pointing to a yellow legal pad by the register, where titles purchased are written. “I’m old school, but I believe in that personal touch.” 

The staff creates a fun atmosphere whether customers are present or not. “We yodel with the Sons of the Pioneers,” explains Watkins, referring to the Western singing group. 

It all started when the staff began a yodeling contest along with old music on the radio. Then a customer they hadn’t noticed rose into view from the aisles with a puzzled expression. “That was embarrassing,” Watkins says with a laugh. 

Bookworks may be a small store, but Watkins argues she can match big stores title for title — the difference being that while other stores flood their aisles with multiple copies of everything, she only keeps one or two copies. 

Anything shoppers can’t find can be ordered in about two days, free of charge.

After attaining a master’s degree in library science, and almost 30 years as the owner of Bookworks, Watkins has a keen eye for tracking what’s on the shelves, what’s hot and making sure people who come in the store find what they want. 

The history section is robust, with an emphasis on Western and local history. Likewise, the large space devoted to children’s books and young adult fiction causes a nostalgic flashback to the Scholastic Book Fair of yore. 

Watkins says many tourists have dropped in to see what Whitefish locals are keeping on the shelves. She asks customers for preferences and that ultimately guides orders. 

Watkins calls it a family operation, though her son David is the only blood relation. She plans to pass the store down the family line as she transitions into a more part-time presence. 

“This store has been here since 1976. We care about what we do, and we go to no end, even if someone is just looking for a card with a zebra on it.”

Bookworks is located at 244 Spokane Ave, #A, in Whitefish. Hours are Monday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, call 406-862-4980.

Reporter Carl Foster can be reached at 758-4470 or cfoster@dailyinterlake.com.

    Owner Cheryl Watkins at Bookworks of Whitefish on Wednesday, Nov. 29. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
   

    Owner Cheryl Watkins organizes books in the Great Wall of Fiction section at Bookworks of Whitefish on Wednesday, Nov. 29. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
  

    Bookworks of Whitefish on Wednesday, Nov. 29. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)

    One of the hand-written ledger sheets at Bookworks of Whitefish on Wednesday, Nov. 29. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)