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Since 2002, Geoff Fox has written about the offbeat and dynamic personalities that make Pasco County unique. He is now revisiting them, meeting new characters and sharing more stories. Email
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Happy 30th Birthday To The Book Shack
Posted Oct 2, 2009 by Geoff Fox
Updated Oct 2, 2009 at 01:00 PM
You wouldn’t have known it just by driving by.
There were no miniature hot air balloons with commemorative messages, no light-up billboards, no windows painted in celebratory colors.
That isn’t Jo Kassabaum’s style.
The owner of The Book Shack celebrated her 30th anniversary as a Dade City landmark and book lover’s paradise on Thursday. In lieu of public self-congratulations, Jo spent the day moving the inspirational and inspirational-fiction books to a more prominent spot.
Those genres have become more popular with customers in recent months, and with Jo, it’s all about the customers.
Always has been.
“My customers are the best,” said Kassabaum, a Wisconsin native now living in Weeki Wachee. “Some of them have become very good friends. You can work a retail shop and get burned out and bored, but my customers are like family. I know about their kids and husbands and wives, whichever the case may be.
“I know who’s doing bad and who’s doing good. That’s what makes it fun to come to work.”
The Book Shack has been at 14407 Seventh St. for about 10 years; the location is seven blocks north of its original Seventh Street site.
For historical perspective, Kassabaum opened the business when Jimmy Carter was still president, the Pittsburgh Pirates were World Series champions and The Knack’s “My Sharona” hit the top of Billboard’s Hot 100.
Inside the nearly 1,000-square-foot store, Kassabaum stocks about 90,000 titles in just about every genre. The store also features works by local authors such as William Dennis, Mark “Tiger” Edmonds, R.W. Lowrie, Caroline D. Marlette and Carol Overstreet.
Edmonds, for one, has labeled Jo and her store as one of the best things about living in Pasco County.
I can disagree with Edmonds on a lot of matters, but this isn’t one of them.
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