- Susan Carson, on the left, started working at the Book Bazaar in 1988 when it was in the Glebe. She stayed on board after Jayne Wyatt, on the right, purchased the store in 1994.
By: Charlie Crabb
The Book Bazaar is a quirky place, filled with charm and character.
It’s home to over 100,000 books, spanning every genre of every age. It’s been the backdrop for movie shoots and couples’ engagement photos. It’s a nook, nestled on the corner of Bank and Frank Street. Simply put, The Book Bazaar is an amazing place and it takes equally incredible people to make sure it runs like clockwork. That’s exactly what Susan Carson has helped do for the last quarter-century.
“I still look forward to coming into work every day,” Susan says. “The customers are interesting, we always chat, it’s quite a sociable job. You’re never alone, there’s always something going on.”
Books weren’t Susan’s first calling. Before she arrived at the Book Bazaar, she graduated from Carleton University with a degree in Geochemistry. She contributed to field expositions in the Arctic. She also raised three children, Shauna, David and Jessica. By the time her youngest child was old enough to attend kindergarten, Susan was looking for a new challenge. It presented itself during a visit to The Book Bazaar.
“I used to go in there when the owner was Beryl McLeod and we would chat,” Susan says. “One day she said she was looking for someone to work on Fridays. I said that’d be good, since everybody was in school.”
Her role in the store gradually expanded. From one day a week, Susan soon found herself working four days a week. She tidied, sorted, catalogued and shipped books; she even joined a book club. Literature consumed her life.
“I tend to be strictly a fiction literature reader. I read a lot of Canadian authors, I love Margret Atwood,” she says. “I like good mysteries, too.”
Beyond the joy she takes from reading, the greatest treasure Susan believes she found during her time at the store is her friendship with Jayne Wyatt, the current owner, and her husband, John.
“Jayne and John bought the store about 20-years ago and I continued to work with them. They are wonderful,” she says. “We’ve become good friends.”
What lies ahead is unclear. Despite other independent book stores dropping like flies, The Book Bazaar is carrying on strong. Susan isn’t considering retirement anytime soon.
“I think I’ll hang in here as long as Jayne and John are carrying on with the business.”