Literary Leftovers Used Bookstore in Battle Ground is preparing to mark a milestone many independent bookstores never reach. The locally owned shop turns 25 this week, an anniversary its staff says reflects years of steady community support and a shared love for reading.
The celebration is set for Thursday, Jan. 29, and will include an all-day sale and an evening gathering for readers to connect inside the shop. For manager Eily McIlvain, the anniversary carries both pride and perspective as she reflects on the store’s past and its future.
“Today and always, it’s never been guaranteed for a bookstore, so it makes us feel very supported by the community and very optimistic about the future of independent bookstores even in a pretty uncertain time,” McIlvain said.
The store, located at 813 W. Main St., Suite 105, Battle Ground, is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and will be open during regular hours during the Thursday anniversary. All used books will be discounted by 25 percent, and customers will receive a raffle ticket for every $25 spent, with a chance to win a $100 gift card. From 5 to 6 p.m., the shop will host a small in-store party with drinks, snacks and time to socialize before closing.
Literary Leftovers operates largely on donated books, a model McIlvain says only works because of the readers who support it.
“We can operate because 90% of the books that we sell are books that we receive from the community,” McIlvain said. “So 25 years is a result of having that kind of community and having a community that will be so generous with you, we literally wouldn’t be in business without them.”
The shop is also known for Lucy, the bookstore’s resident cat, who often curls up in baskets or naps among the shelves. Staff say some visitors stop in just to see her, adding to the store’s identity as a welcoming space for readers.
Literary Leftovers also hosts a wide range of programs designed to keep literacy and community connection at the center of its mission. Weekly Lego Clubs meet Tuesdays at 10 a.m. and Thursdays at 4 p.m. Story Times with Corrie give young children a chance to practice active listening while enjoying books read aloud. The shop also runs a Summer Reading Program, a JV Book Club for readers ages 8 to 12 and free tutoring sessions that connect students with retired teachers and local tutors.
The bookstore also leans into its role as a gathering place for writers and storytellers. That focus brought about a workshop on Saturday, Jan. 24, when Literary Leftovers hosted an event titled “Longform,” bringing community members together with reporters from InvestigateWest for a conversation about longform storytelling in a shortform, digital age. The event was organized with the help of Lynnie McIlvain, director of development for InvestigateWest and sister of store manager Eily McIlvain.
“Our vision for this was getting the Investigate West reporters who can do the long form work, giving them a platform to talk to readers and writers and booksellers and then from that to jump off into a discussion right where we all get to kind of talk and share our different perspectives,” she said.
McIlvain said the workshop also sparked ideas for future events that would continue connecting readers, writers and booksellers, including conversations between intergenerational writers and additional community-centered discussions about reading and writing.
The bookstore regularly hosts author panels a few times each year to highlight local voices. These in-person events bring five to six local writers into the shop to read from their work, discuss their creative process, and connect with readers during informal conversations and signings.
The store also produces The Reader, a bi-monthly paper available in the shop that features book reviews from booksellers and community members, original poetry, short fiction and a children-focused section designed to engage younger readers and reflect the voices of the local literary community.
As McIlvain marks the anniversary, she finds herself thinking about the bookstore’s time and legacy, and the idea that bookstores belong to generations of readers.
“I’m very lucky to turn 25 with the bookshop that I love so much,” McIlvain said. “In 25 years, it probably won’t belong to us, and the person who will be running it then may not even have been born yet. That’s been very interesting for me to think about.”
Information about the bookstore’s programs and events can be found at literaryleftoversbookstore.com.
