Phoenix Books has officially settled into its new location on Church Street. “After being in the business for 29 years, I finally feel like we’ve arrived.” Renee Reiner, co-owner of Phoenix Books, shared about her journey through the world of bookselling. 

The Book Rack & Children’s Pages

Renee and her partner, Michael DeSanto, lived in Boston for five years and had explored purchasing a couple of bookstores for sale in Vermont. When initial negotiations fell through, the two persisted nonetheless. In 1995, they continued the process of searching for a shop by sending out 45 letters to local bookstore owners in Vermont. 

A shocking 20% responded to their offer, which was a notably high rate of return for such a small area. Unphased by the number of bookstore owners looking to sell their businesses, the two bought a modest shop called The Book Rack & Children’s Pages located in Winooski, VT. After the town of Winooski announced it would be undergoing renovations in 2001, they relocated the store to Essex Junction, VT, knowing that it would not survive the construction. Tired and weary from the demands of owning a bookstore, the couple decided to sell The Book Rack & Children’s Pages to their assistant manager in 2004. Unfortunately, she did not succeed and had to close the business. When asked about the closure of their first bookstore, Renee likened it to the death of a child.

Rising from the Ashes

As a nod to the closure of their first store, a friend suggested they name the next store they opened Phoenix Books, as their business was rising from the ashes. Following the closure of downtown’s sole bookstore, Borders, Burlington was left without a local shop. Michael wanted to relocate, but Renee wanted to open a second location. The couple felt that owning a bookstore was still a passion of theirs and came up with a compromise.

Despite Renee usually being the more practical thinker between the two, she knew how much this new location meant to her husband and proposed they open a second store instead of moving locations entirely.“Michael is a visionary thinker, and I am a blade of grass,” Renee said about her partner. “Big stuff like that does not come out of my mouth, so we were both a little shocked about that.” She added.

So, in 2007, Michael opened Phoenix Books on Bank Street in downtown Burlington, VT, and Renee kept the shop in Essex, VT, open as well. Initially lacking the financial resources to support the move, Renee used her background in philanthropy to raise 85% of the funding with the help of the community in 2011 by performing a market study. 

Despite Michael’s insistence that the move would not have been financially possible without Renee, she argued that it was a team effort and that without him, “There wouldn’t be a single book on these shelves.”  Running the two locations separately proved to be the best solution, as certain challenges come with working directly with one’s spouse. They worked hard to not have “his and hers” stores but simply two locations with co-owners. 

In 2015, Michael received a call from Steve Costello, who served as the ambassador of Rutland, VT, impressed by how the couple had fundraised to finance the Burlington store and offered to help them open another store in Rutland. Later in 2017, a man in Woodstock, VT, called Renee and Michael, explaining that his wife owned a bookstore but was ready to retire, asking if they were interested in purchasing the store. Knowing the heavy tourist traffic that the quaint New England town attracted, Renee insisted they buy the store, which proved to be a smart move. 

The New Location

When asked about how the recent move from Bank Street to Church Street would benefit the business, Renee responded: “Church Street, as the vibrant heart of Burlington, is worth being a part of.” The large, centrally located four-story building had plenty of office spaces, inventory storage, and break rooms. It was perfect for Phoenix Books. With the help of her friend and bookstore consultant, Donna Paz, they designed a layout for the store and drew up blueprints. 

While the new location is well situated, it still faces the problems that come with being in a city. There is an epidemic of unhoused people and addicts in the downtown Burlington area. Renee hopes their business will breathe new life into this part of the city. 

“Plenty of local businesses have chosen to flee Burlington,” she explained, suggesting that owners consider Burlington too dangerous and they don’t feel safe.

Given the new store’s location, a large portion of the customers at Phoenix Books are tourists, along with plenty of locals. Renee hopes to take advantage of the heavier foot traffic that Church Street Marketplace brings to create a space for families to stroll, shop, and create memories. 

The Importance of  Stories

As humans, we all long for community. One of the best ways to achieve this is through storytelling. 

“Storytelling is what makes humans human. We are the only mammal that actually tells stories.” Renee said. Oral storytelling, along with written tales, has long been an integral part of human history and communication. She explains that locally owned businesses–specifically bookstores–are an integral part of creating this sense of community.

I asked Renee why books are so important. She said, “Books are more than just important in our digital age; they are critical.” She added there is something magical about holding a book in your hands, watching the story unfold before you, and letting the pages take you into another world. The ability to sit quietly and read without being “plugged in” is crucial to our capacity to focus in this digital age. Books can also serve as a way to entertain us, teach us something, and allow us to connect with others through shared personal experiences. 

Phoenix Books has been open for about two months now, with a soft opening in August and an official grand opening on Saturday, September 14th. The store is open Monday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Sundays from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.