Step inside the 2nd and Charles bookstore that is set to open today in Hoover, and you'll see the sleek, modern lines of a new retail outlet, with a heavy dose of its logo color, orange.
But behind that facade, the business carries the theme of recycling throughout its operations. From the used books and other second-hand products that line the shelves to the ceramic flooring and interior lighting that belonged to the building's previous tenant, this store is all about green.
2nd and Charles, housed in the former Goody's space at Interstate 459 and U.S. 31, is the debut of a new retail concept from Birmingham-based Books-A-Million Inc.
At the store, people can trade in their used books, music, movies, video games and more for cash or store credit. Then, they can shop the 40,000-square-foot space, which the company says holds more than 300,000 different items.
Despite the advent of electronic readers and other high-tech gadgets in the publishing world, used books are a hot commodity among consumers as they search for bargains and rare finds.
That trend, popular in other parts of the country, prompted the introduction of 2nd and Charles, said Misty Fontenot, vice president of store operations for 2nd and Charles.
"It really fits the needs of the readers here," she said. "It makes us like cities like New York and Portland that have a big used bookstore presence."
To trade in their stuff, shoppers can fill up to three bins to be evaluated by the 2nd and Charles staff while they wait. The quote offered at the "Buy Back" counter will be based on the condition of the products and how many duplicates the store already has.
On the shopping side, prices also will depend on the items' condition and popularity, although the store expects heavy discounts throughout.
In addition, there are scattered bargain bins, with everything priced at $1, $2 or $3. There also are free book bins, set to be filled with customer donations that have no buy back value.
Recycling
Aside from a small selection of gift products, all of 2nd and Charles' merchandise is second-hand, Fontenot said. And the recycling concept shows up in other areas of the store.
For instance, there are no plastic bags; customers may purchase totes made out of canvas or recycled plastic water bottles for 99 cents.
2nd and Charles also aimed to re-use as much of the old Goody's space as possible, including the floors, wiring, interior lighting, ceiling and walls.
Meanwhile, the store is decorated with trash-turned-artwork: a display made of 4,000 discarded books spells out "2nd" on a back wall, while abandoned clothing security tags form displays around the cash registers.
The books are organized according to genre, and the merchandise will change daily as customers do trade-ins. Eventually, the selection will become a reflection of Birmingham area readers, Fontenot said.
"The books on the shelves become the community," she said.
To stock up for the opening, the store bought merchandise from wholesalers and other sources.
The name
Goody's vacated the store in 2008, when the clothing chain went bankrupt. In June, The Birmingham News reported Books-A-Million's plans to fill the space, and the renovation took place over the summer.
As for the store's name, the company said it wanted something that felt like a destination. So, it decided to go with a street name, and 2nd is a reference to its second-hand merchandise.
The store has about 50 employees.
2nd and Charles is a subsidiary of Books-A-Million, which operates more than 200 stores in 19 states and the District of Columbia. Books-A-Million also has a book wholesale and distribution arm, an e-commerce division and an Internet development and services company.
Last month, the retailer reported a rise in its second-quarter profit. Net income was $1.9 million, or 12 cents a share, compared to net income of $1.5 million, or 10 cents a share, a year earlier.
Sales at stores open at least a year fell 3.2 percent, and net sales declined 2 percent to $120 million.
CEO Clyde Anderson said the company was pleased with the earnings despite the tough comparisons to last year in the core book business.
"The success last year of the 'Twilight' series and titles from Glenn Beck and Mark Levin proved difficult to match with this year's lineup," he said in a prepared statement.
As for future ventures, the company has not said whether the new 2nd and Charles concept will expand to other markets.
Fontenot said 2nd and Charles is focused on its debut.
"We're very excited about this one," she said. "We really just want to see how this goes and put all our energy here."
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