Those in the academic, entertainment, and technology realms might posit that the end of the printed book is near. With all the advances in social media use in the classroom, technology use in the medical field, and the ability to carry thousands of “books” around in a one-pound tablet, it seems that the printed book world might indeed be in serious trouble. However, this is not the case in Annapolis thanks to rare book finder and seller extraordinaire, Rock Toews. You may know Toews as the friendly man behind the counter at Back Creek Books, but what you may not know about Toews is that he has a heck of a lot to say about the printed book scene and Annapolis history. We caught up with the busy book man to hear his perspective on books, education, and being “in the business of nostalgia.”
For those who haven’t stopped into Back Creek Books’s new location on Main Street, the store–while relatively small–makes a big impression. You’ll of course find Toews moving about from shelf to shelf, encouraging customers to revel in the magic of the store’s books along the way. You’ll also find an old ladder, attached to the top of the bookcases that line one of the walls, along with antiques and piles of treasured books detailing epic battles or romantic trysts. The sheer awe of standing surrounded by knowledge that shaped history–both literary and real-time–is impressive. Browsing and posing questions are encouraged. As Toews explains, “My knowledge is not deep in a lot of these subjects but it’s very broad.” In fact, Toews later explained being in the store is an exceptional way to gain an education (and a pretty cheap way too).
As it turns out, the history of 194 Main Street is as interesting as the books it currently holds. Doing research in Annapolis yearbooks from the 1920s, local history books, advertising from years ago, and even in old book plates and inventories informed what Toews knows of the store. After this beloved two-story building was constructed in the late 19th century, bookseller George Jones took over from 1904 to 1929. From the store, Jones operated as a news dealer, a book stationer, a book seller, and–for those unsure of what to buy–a lending librarian. We’ll add midshipmen host to the list too as Jones frequently offered midshipmen on break with no way home the comforts of his second-story apartment.
Even still, Jones might be most well-known for his postcards, produced and sold right out the store. Toews knows of one postcard of the Naval Academy from 1910 made by Jones. It’s on display in the store.
In 1929, the location changed hands and function to a sporting goods store–Levi’s Sporting Goods. The sporting goods store left its mark on Annapolis quite literally. Looking at the store from State Circle, remnants of “Levi’s Sporting Goods” painted on the wall are still visible.
In 1935, the store again changed hands. Sam Lerner bought the building out of a foreclosure sale and moved his business, Public Loan Office, to the spot. The Lerner family lived upstairs until Sam died in 1971 and his eldest son Howard took over. The store remained a pawn shop and thrived as such since credit cards were nonexistent. Soon though, Howard switched the store to a public sales office, from which he sold novelties, suitcases, and guns. Toews says you can still make out some old writings inside advertising guns for sale. From the time Howard died in March 2010 to August 2013, the building sat vacant with the exception of the occasional art showing or holiday party. Late in the summer of 2013, Toews bought a lease to the space and doesn’t plan on leaving. “I walked by the store 23 years ago and loved the ladders,” Toews says. “I always wanted to be in this space,” he adds. Looks like he got his wish.
It’s befitting that the store now sells rare and old books–it’s a way to celebrate the past in the present tense. Further, its status as a book store seems appropriate as 194 Main Street started out as a book store of sorts. Perhaps “the circle of life” notion applies to business too.
Now, the store is divided by sections housing works of poetry, art, sports, fiction and literature, local history, nautical and maritime history, and military and naval history. Americana and a large section on Lincoln also command attention. 
“Books of lasting interest in all fields” reads on his business card, yet Toews suggests he purchases things based off what he thinks people would like to read. “The business is not formulaic; there’s no absolute thing that will sell,” he states. However, Toews is certainly drawn to books that grapple with local history and literature form the Civil War period. You’ll find loads of resources in the store on these subjects. Oddly enough (as Back Creek Books is in the business of rare and old books), Toews has the Game of Thrones series in his inventory. He explains this was only done in response to a bet with a friend who said the series would fly off the shelf. Rather than stock the most popular and trendy books, Toews believes in the connection between nostalgia and the written word. “I sell objects,” he starts, “I’m more in the business of nostalgia. I sell books that people have loved and would like a nice-looing copy of it.” One of the biggest perks of the job, as Toews explains, is helping people make this connection. Further, Toews gets “to handle some pretty amazing artifacts before passing them on to new homes, often after putting in some research to flesh out their context and importance.” This is how he comes to know so much about so much-certainly another perk.
The perks certainly outweigh the challenges, but these challenges, like the paperless problem, certainly need to be addressed. “Customers wonder how I compete with the Kindle–and I’ll admit I own one–but I don’t see the competition between the Kindle and the old book business,” he starts. The argument goes back to the fact that he sells nostalgia, but Toews adds, “Books are not ‘going away’ as people say they are. Short of destruction of recycling them all, they aren’t going anywhere.” He’s got a point: books may change hands, but they won’t ‘go away.’ It’s a good thing too. We imagine there’s not nearly the same sentiment involved reading a poem online as there is reading one out of a first edition book, in which the pages are fragile because they’ve been dog-earred too many times. Here’s an example to illustrate: the oldest book in Toews’s current inventory dates to 1673 and is entitled The Defence of Amicia. It’s a worn-down book about an illigetimate child and discusses marriage laws and heirs. Reading it online would torturous but reading it in print makes the text come alive. Of course, there’s also the fact that some texts, like The Defence of Amicia, might not even be available online. If you’re counting, that’s 1 for books, 0 for e-books.
Hopefully by now you’ve come to learn a thing or two about the old book business. What you still must know, however, is that the business thrives when the community gets involved. Toews welcomes new inventory and in fact, will buy rare and old books from you. You can also get involved by attending events at the store, which pop up every so often. The last event celebrated the launch of former Naval Academy professor Craig Symonds’s novel Neptune. You can find out about upcoming events on the site, www.backcreekbooks.com, or better yet, in the store. You might just find a book that connects you to your own past when you pay Toews a visit.
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