Jerry Culpepper and Wife, Michele Martin, Open Rare
Book Store
By Art Popham
26 Oct 1999
The News Tribune - Tacoma, Washington
Copyright 1999, The News Tribune
BOOK-LOVER FULFILLMENT: Weep no more, Tacoma bibliophiles. Maybe you
now have a local rare-book seller that will grow to replace your dear,
departed Fox Book Co.
For 59 years, Barbara Fox ran her downtown shop that specialized in
used, antiquarian and out-of-print books. When Fox died in late 1998 and
Powell's Books in Portland acquired her stock, local vintage book lovers
were at a loss.
Now, husband-wife partners Jerry Culpepper and Michele Martin have
opened Culpepper Books at Sixth Avenue and Oakes Street. He worked
intermittently for Fox since 1970 and later ran his own book store.
Culpepper, a News Tribune truck dispatcher, and Martin increasingly
helped Fox in recent years.
On Oct. 13, they launched their own store, though they hesitate
comparing it to his mentor's landmark shop.
"At this point, we're a mini version of Fox's," Culpepper
said. "We have 900 square feet. Fox's had 1,700 and was filled.
Someday, we'll be bigger. We specialize in Northwest history, Americana,
military history and general fiction."
Culpepper Books
Moves to Larger Space
24 Apr 2001
The News Tribune - Tacoma, Washington
South Sound, Page D1
Copyright 2001, The News Tribune
After a year and a half on Sixth Avenue, Culpepper Books is moving to
a larger space in the Proctor District by the end of May.
The used, out-of-print and antiquarian book dealer is taking the
former Tacoma Trains & Hobbies location at 2521 N. Proctor St. That
spot is between Tacoma Trains' current corner location and the new
Europa Bistro, due to open in mid-May. The bookstore is aiming for a May
20 launch.
Sixth Avenue has worked well for Culpepper Books, but
husband-and-wife owners Jerry Culpepper and Michele Martin think the
Proctor District is better suited to their type of store, especially
with its need for increased space.
"We've been well-received on Sixth Avenue and we have been
profitable, but we've outgrown our space there," Culpepper said.
"We have about 500 square feet of floor space now. We'll have
1,080, plus a 300-square-foot back room. We've been able to increase our
stock a lot since we started. We have to keep a lot of nice books at
home that we'd like to have out for our customers. We're also probably
out-of-step here. Sixth Avenue has gotten a lot of great clubs and
restaurants."
Martin sees an added benefit to the move.
"The big plus is I get all the books out of our house and get my
living room back," she said.
Culpepper Ancestry. Jerry
Culpepper, the brother of Professor
Michael Culpepper, and
Judge Ronald Culpepper, is the son of Alfred K. Culpepper (#
36048)
