Gulf Coast Booksellers Begin Long Process of Rebuilding

Over a month after Hurricane Katrina unleashed its devastation on the Gulf Coast, those in the hardest hit areas are just now able to return to assess the damage to their homes and businesses. This week, BTW spoke to four of the affected booksellers, who are beginning to rebuild their lives.

In Metairie, Louisiana, Le Jouet, a bookstore and toy store, was left with 30 inches of water due to Hurricane Katrina. The water "stayed for about 10 days," said owner Buddy Wood. This resulted in serious water damage that included the sheet rock walls and the vinyl floor tiles, which are coming up. Moreover, 50 percent of the store's book inventory was lost. He and four employees are repairing much of the damage, though he said he wouldn't be doing all the repairs. "I didn't have flood insurance, so this is a massive loss for us."

Le Jouet should reopen in four to five weeks, Wood explained, "but if somebody calls and wants something specific, we'll look for it. We have a big warehouse where we stored a lot of the stuff we saved."

Though Wood said Katrina was quite an ordeal, he added, "We're rebuilding. We'll be back."

Joe DiSalvo, speaking to BTW from Charleston, South Carolina, said that his store, Faulkner House, which is located in New Orleans' French Quarter, suffered some roof damage, but there was "no water entering from the roof damage. The major leakage was along the walls, and the gutters were damaged." He said he plans to hire a contractor and said he does not expect to reopen before December 1.

Prior to Katrina, DiSalvo moved most of his more valuable rare books into some interior rooms, and they weathered the storm fine. "Our major problem is that there was no air conditioning for four weeks, but there's no sign of mildew on the books."

As for his staff, DiSalvo said, "I had two people and one has decided not to come back -- she evacuated to Chicago," where she has family. The other staffer, currently in Michigan, plans to return around November 1.

Bookends Bookstore in Bay Saint Louis, Mississippi, was completely destroyed with only its foundation remaining after the onslaught of Hurricane Katrina. In the immediate wake of the destruction, owner Susan Daigre thought she would not rebuild, but she has since changed her mind. "This town has been really good to me, and it's a very tight community," she said. "And, damn it, this community needs a bookstore." Daigre is in the process of talking with the Small Business Administration about recovery assistance.

Daigre is living in the trailer she and her husband bought the day after the hurricane. Their home, also in Bay Saint Louis, had been in standing water and has since been gutted to prevent black mold from destroying the entire structure.

"We've been really frustrated with the ineptitude of the government and FEMA," Daigre said. Since Katrina, the couple has spent over $40,000, including approximately $150 a day in gas for their generators and cars.

Daigre wanted to caution other booksellers about insurance policies. "I thought I was covered," she said. "I thought I had excellent business owner's insurance, but they're not covering anything." She had bought a supplemental wind damage policy that may cover some of her losses.

In spite of everything that she has been through, Daigre reported that she is doing okay and working towards putting her life back together. "We have no timeline," she said. "We're just taking it day by day. Everyone -- ABA and other booksellers -- has been really supportive," she said. "I have my moments, but this is a really neat community and it's worth rebuilding. But if this happens again, I'm out of here."

Michele Lewis of the two Afro-American Book Stops in New Orleans told BTW that one store was destroyed and the other had been damaged about 40 percent, but was probably now completely unsalvageable because of the rapid growth of black mold. She has also lost her home and her car. Lewis is currently living in Shreveport, Louisiana, where she had evacuated to after the storm. "We're doing okay," she said. "We're taking it one day at a time and making the best we can of a bad situation."

Lewis was waiting to meet with insurance adjusters before making any big decisions. "I just don't know what we'll do yet," she said. "We'll assess damages and once we have a clear picture of the total situation, we'll begin to make plans for the future. Right now we're just waiting."

Friends and colleagues have been especially helpful for coping with so much loss, Lewis said. "I'd like to thank Susan Novotny [of Book House of Stuyvesant Plaza in Albany, New York] who donated a portion of her sales to me and my bookstores.... And I'd like to thank the bookselling community overall. I've been shown a lot of love and support from colleagues and the industry, and I appreciate it." --David Grogan and Karen Schechner

Watch for more on Gulf Coast booksellers and their efforts to rebuild in upcoming editions of BTW.

For information on the Bookseller Relief Fund, which is providing humanitarian relief to booksellers in need, go to www.bookweb.org/read/8092.