Roxanne Lord has always been a reader. She loves books, almost as much as she loves music.
Her laugh punctuates many of her thoughts.
Im an 80s girl, so I love classic rock and heavy metal.
Then she laughs.
As owner of Punchaks Paperbacks at 29 W, Main Street, she may have one of the most unique businesses in Cortez.
Nothing but paperbacks, around 12,000 on her shelves. The price range runs from 50 cents to $5 and she restocks mostly through trade.
Lord and her husband Marty Punchak moved to the area in 1990, shortly after they were married. Marty scored a few construction job offers right out of college and they picked Cortez because neither one of them had heard of the small town before.
In 1995, Lord took her husbands suggestion, then with a little help from Grandma Aggie and her massive collection of paperback books in her attic, Punchaks Paperbacks was opened
We boxed everything up from the attic and thats what we started with, Lord said.
A total of 3,000 used paperbacks and they were in business. Of course naming a business takes careful consideration. Punchaks Paperbacks sounded good and had that alliteration appeal. But as Lord says with a laugh, Lords Paperbacks sounded like a religious bookstore.
Tucked into a 215-square-foot space she serves as an unofficial visitors center when people stop in.
People feel comfortable stopping at bookstores for information, and I love to help them out, she said.
She was greeted with hometown friendliness right from chapter one.
I had a handshake deal with my landlord from Day One and theres never been a rent increase, she said about the buildings owner, who also owns the Fiesta Theatre next door.
Her store is open Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Then she laughs, saying that she has to close on occasion for bathroom breaks, since her store doesnt have one.
Lord, 43, said that owning a paperback store wasnt part of her life plan, then she laughs.
She knows that electronic books are growing in popularity but shes not complaining and shes not too worried about readers vanishing.
I think people will always read, the format will change though, she said.
Then she offers a unique analogy for where the future of books is heading in her opinion.
Books will probably go the way of vinyl (records), she said, but offered no laugh after that statement.
As for her, shes usually reading three or four books at a time.
For me reading is a relaxation device and a learning device, she said.
She gives a quick-like-a-bunny answer to the question whats your favorite book? The Velveteen Rabbit, and I read it every Easter.
Lord is a bit of an oddity in the modern world. She doesnt have a cell phone or iPod or electronic book, and shes never had a drivers license. She lives just a few blocks from the store so she walks to work. She does have a computer and proudly says that her entire inventory are just a few key taps away.
Tourists, campers, hunters and motorcycle riders make up a big part of her customer base.
Owning a little bookstore may not have been part of her life plan, but for Lord the chapters just keep on rolling by.
Its very relaxing. Right now Im working on my Christmas list.
Then she laughs again.
What a novel approach to life and business.
